Israeli Eye Doctors' Mission to Zambia
As part of the ongoing cooperation between the Government of Israel
and the countries of the African continent in the field of
opthalmology, an Israeli delegation of eye doctors from Beilinson
Hospital set out, in November 1998, for Mensa, Zambia, for the
purpose of carrying out eye operations and training local eye doctors
and nurses in eye surgery methods and advanced treatment. The team
was sent by MASHAV - the Israel Foreign Ministry's Center for International Cooperation.
The contact person in Zambia, Dr. Kwandokoma, an eye surgeon by
profession, is responsible for the Zambian project, "Flying Doctor
Service". With the help of information gathered by Dr. Kwandokoma on
the types of treatment required, the Israeli doctors prepared an eye
surgery and treatment program for patients in the town of Mensa. The
team of Israeli doctors were based in the central hospital of the
town, and in partnership with local doctors and a team of nurses,
three modern surgery rooms were set up, with the assistance of
medical equipment donated by the Government of Israel and equipment
belonging to the hospital.
In the course of nine days, 110 patients underwent eye operations.
The following operations were performed: cataract, transplantation of
intracular lenses, surgery for children with a cataract from birth,
and surgery to remove squinting. Most of the patients undergoing
surgery were totally blind. The operations were very successful and
were widely praised by patients, the local doctors and the Zambian
health authorities. All operations were carried out by means of a
microscope for eye surgery, with modern surgical methods. The Israeli
doctors trained their local colleagues in new anaesthetic methods,
transplantation of lenses and precise stitching methods. A team of
nurses at the hospital were provided with training in regard to
receiving patients and preparing the eyes for surgery. They were also
given detailed explanations on types of equipment and instruction
concerning the provision of assistance to doctors during surgery.
The Israeli doctors traveled on to Lusaka, where they provided
training to other local teams in advanced eye treatment methods.
Israeli Eye Doctors' Mission to Military Hospital in Angola
In November 1998, a group of Israeli eye doctors from the Poria and
Hillel Yaffe Hospitals in Israel were sent on a mission to Luanda,
Angola. The delegation was sent on the initiative of MASHAV, as part of the ongoing cooperation
between the Israeli and the Angolan Governments in the health field.
The Israeli doctors performed intricate operations on citizens and
soldiers, all casualties of the ongoing Angolan Civil War. The work
of the doctors focused on treatment of the wounded from the war,
which often involved surmounting the most complex medical problems.
The Israeli doctors gave a series of lectures to their local
colleagues on the subject of eye diseases and various treatments.
The Medical Corps Commander, General Raul Hendrik, and the Head of
the Eye Department at the Military Hospital, Colonel Pedro Lara,
expressed their deep appreciation of the doctors' diligence and their
high professional standards. The Health Minister of Angola, Dr.
Sikato, expressed his hope that the Governments of Israel and Angola
would strengthen their cooperation in the health field.