Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria, with a population of more than 80 million people, is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Only 17% of the population lives in urban areas (compared with an average of 37% across the rest of Africa), while 47% of the population lives below the poverty line.
According to the African Health Observatory (2010), life expectancy in Ethiopia increased from 48 years in 1990 to 58 years in 2008, slightly above the African average of 53 years. Children aged 0–14 account for 46.1% of the population, with a median age of 16.9 years. Communicable and infectious diseases represent 73% of the country’s total disease burden, while non-communicable diseases account for 20% and injuries for 6%. Among the main reasons for the population’s poor health status are inadequate healthcare infrastructure and, above all, the severe shortage of trained healthcare professionals.
There are only 0.4 physicians and 2 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, well below the African averages of 2 physicians and 11 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people, respectively. (For comparison, Greece has approximately 54 physicians per 10,000 inhabitants.)
The charitable, non-profit organization Mission ANTHROPOS organized its third consecutive medical and surgical mission to Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle, Ethiopia, which took place from 2–11 March 2012.
During the past three years that we have been visiting the region, Ayder Referral Hospital has expanded to its full bed capacity, with 480 operational beds. However, it continues to face significant shortages in medical equipment and, most importantly, human resources, with its medical staff consisting of fewer than 35 specialist physicians.
1. Surgical Procedures
A total of 51 surgical procedures were performed, including:
- 18 pediatric surgery cases
- 33 ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery cases
2. Contribution to the Training of Medical and Paramedical Staff
- Training for the hospital’s medical and paramedical staff in modern surgical and anesthetic techniques.
- A computer was provided to the anesthesiology team, containing essential anesthesiology textbooks and reference materials for daily clinical use.
- An English-translated information leaflet, originally developed by the Pediatric Department of Asklepieio General Hospital of Voula (kindly provided by Ms. Stavroula Papadakou, Head of the Department), was supplied to guide parents and pediatric nursing staff in the better preparation of young patients and their families before treatment.
3. Donation of Medical Equipment and Supplies
3. Donation of Medical Equipment and Supplies- 170 kg of consumable medical and surgical supplies, essential for performing surgical procedures.
- 27 bone marrow biopsy kits for both adults and children.
4. Collaboration with Other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Medical examination of children referred by the NGOs Lalibela and Kinder Not Hilfe (KNH) who presented with pediatric and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) conditions.
- Surgical treatment was provided for two of these children.
5.Humanitarian Assistance
5.Humanitarian Assistance- Donation of toys, notebooks, and school supplies to the play area of the hospital’s Pediatric Department, as well as to all pediatric patients.
- Distribution of toys and children’s drawings, created by students of the First Grade of a Greek Primary School, to the young patients.
- Athanasopoulou Nikoletta , Theatre Nurse, “IASO Paidon” Pediatric Hospital, Athens
- De Verney Yvelise , Pediatric Surgeon, “IASO Paidon” Pediatric Hospital
- Doussis-Anagnostopoulou Ipatia, Pathologist, Associate Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Head Mission ANTHROPOS
- Garini Eleana, Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist, Penteli’s Children’s Hospital, Athens
- Kaiafas Panagiotis, ENT Surgeon Consultant, IATRIKO Center Hospital
- Kopanidi Maria, Pediatric Surgeon, “IASO Paidon” Pediatric Hospital
- Lambrou Georgia, Theatre Nurse, Euroclinic Hospital, Athens
- Makris Alexandros, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, “Asklepieion” General Hospital
- Metaxa Zoi, Resident Paediatrician , “Asklipieion” General Hospital
- Pappas Petros, Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist, Onassion Cardiac surgery Center, Athens
- Pergamalis Georgios, Pediatric Surgeon, Consultant “IASO Paidon” Pediatric Hospital
- Salakos Christos, Pediatric Surgeon, Assistant Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, “Attikon” General Hospital
- Skia Varvara, ENT Surgeon Consultant “IASO Paidon” Pediatric Hospital
We Extend Our Sincere Thanks to Our Sponsors
- John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation
- A. G. Leventis Foundation
- Scepsi S.A.
for their generous donation of consumable medical supplies.
- IASO Children’s Hospital (Private Hospital)
- Abbott Pharmaceuticals
Cana S.A.
and to the following companies for generously providing their services:
- EFG Eurolife – for providing medical insurance coverage for the volunteers.
- Civitas – for the renewal and upgrade of the organization’s website.
The volunteers of the mission were received in Constantinople (Istanbul) in an audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who congratulated them and highlighted the significance of their humanitarian work, especially during the current challenging international circumstances.
General information
Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria, with a population of more than 80 million people, is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Only 17% of the population lives in urban areas (compared with 37% across the rest of Africa), while 47% of the population lives below the poverty line.
According to the 2010 African Health Observatory, life expectancy in Ethiopia increased from 48 years in 1990 to 58 years in 2008, slightly above the African average of 53 years. Children aged 0–14 years make up 46.1% of the population, with a median age of 16.9 years.
Communicable and infectious diseases account for 73% of the country’s total disease burden, while non-communicable diseases represent 20% and injuries account for 6%. Among the main factors contributing to the population’s poor health status are inadequate healthcare infrastructure and, above all, the severe shortage of specialized healthcare professionals.
There are 0.4 physicians and 2 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, well below the African averages of 2 physicians and 11 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people, respectively. (For comparison, Greece has approximately 54 physicians per 10,000 inhabitants.)
The charitable, non-profit organization Mission ANTHROPOS organized its third consecutive medical and surgical mission to Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle, Ethiopia, which took place from 2 to 11 March 2012.
During the past three years that we have been visiting the region, Ayder Referral Hospital has expanded to its full capacity of 480 operational beds. However, it continues to face significant shortages in medical equipment and, most importantly, qualified personnel, with its medical staff comprising fewer than 35 specialist physicians.
Results
1. Surgical Procedures
A total of 51 surgical procedures were performed, including:
- 18 pediatric surgery cases
- 33 ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery cases
2. Training and Capacity Building for Medical and Paramedical Staff
- Training for the hospital’s medical and paramedical staff in modern surgical and anesthesiology techniques.
- A computer was donated to the anesthesiology team, containing essential anesthesiology textbooks and reference materials for daily clinical use.
- An English-language information leaflet with basic guidance for parents and pediatric nursing staff, prepared by the Pediatric Department of Asklepieio General Hospital of Voula (kindly provided by Ms. Stavroula Papadakou, Head of the Department), to help better prepare young patients and their families for treatment.
3. Donation of Medical Equipment and Supplies
- 170 kg of consumable medical and surgical supplies, essential for performing surgical procedures.
- 27 bone marrow biopsy kits for both adults and children.
4.Collaboration with Other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
5. Humanitarian Assistance
- Donation of toys, notebooks, and school supplies to the play area of the hospital’s Pediatric Department, as well as to all pediatric patients.
- Distribution of toys and drawings created by first-grade students from a Greek primary school to the young patients.
Volunteers
Volunteer Pediatric Surgery Team
- Christos Salakos – Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA); Attikon General Hospital, Athens
- George Pergamalis – Pediatric Surgeon, IASO Children’s Hospital, Athens
- Yvelise Maria Fritsch De Verney – Pediatric Surgeon, IASO Children’s Hospital, Athens
- Maria Kopanidi – Pediatric Surgeon, IASO Children’s Hospital, Athens
- Eleana Garini – Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Penteli Children’s General Hospital, Athens
- Petros Pappas – Anesthesiologist, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens
- Zoe Metaxa – Pediatric Resident, Asklepieio General Hospital of Voula, Athens
- Nikoletta Athanasopoulou – Nurse, IASO Children’s Hospital, Athens
Volunteer ENT Team
- Hypatia Dousi-Anagnostopoulou – Associate Professor, Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA); Mission Organizer
- Varvara Skia – ENT Surgeon, IASO Children’s Hospital, Athens
- Panagiotis Kaiafas – ENT Surgeon, Athens Medical Center
- Alexandros Makris – Anesthesiologist, Asklepieio General Hospital of Voula, Athens
- Georgia Lamprou – Nurse, Euroclinic of Athens
Thank you
We Extend Our Sincere Thanks to Our Sponsors
- John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation
- A. G. Leventis Foundation
- Scepsi S.A.
for their donation of consumable medical supplies.
- IASO Children’s Hospital (Private Hospital)
- Abbott Pharmaceuticals and Cana S.A.
and the following companies for generously providing their services:
- EFG Eurolife – for providing medical insurance coverage for the volunteers.
- Civitas – for upgrading the organization’s website.
The mission volunteers were received in Constantinople (Istanbul) by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who congratulated them and emphasized the importance of their humanitarian work, particularly in light of the challenging international circumstances of the time.
Photos
