January 2017 – India Medical/Surgical Missions
It appeared to be a daunting task. We had to coordinate 27 volunteers for a total of 8 medical/surgical missions in January 2017. Thanks to the many things that worked out extremely well, we were able to execute all the missions. We benefited over 3,800 people! We were able to distribute 1,825 eyeglasses in 5 days. We performed over 200 free surgeries. We accomplished all of this in just 14 days.
METAS Adventist Hospital, Surat (January 2 to 5)
Our journey began on the January 1st resident Dr. Alec Runyon (Loma Linda University), Srishty Amarnani (a student) and I went to Surat for the first mission at METAS Adventist Hospital. We performed 17 cataract operations, 8 general surgical cases and 3 urology cases with Dr. Suvas Desai. We worked there for 4 days and did a total of 28 cases before moving on to the next camp. This was the third time we did a camp at METAS. We appreciate Mr. Anil Kumar, Dr. Anurag Banka and Dr. Gaurang Desai’s help.
Kalidas Hospital, Vyara (January 6 to 8)
For our 11th annual surgical camp we performed 145 surgeries on 110 patients in 2 ½ days. The operations included hernia repair, hydrocele, lumps, cysts and hysterectomy. They were all free to patients and were performed at Kalidas Hospital in Vyara. Medical assistant ChaNelle joined us from USA on the evening of the 6th. Thank you Dr. Dipak Patel for your help with Laparoscopic Hysterectomies. We appreciate Dr. Ajay Desai for coordinating the Surgical Mission year after year for 11 years.
Maroli, Rajpipla, Manibeli, Valiya and Mahuva (January 9 to 13)
We had a marathon of medical and eyeglasses missions. Total of 3,651 patients were seen in 5 days and 1,825 eyeglasses were given away. Kailash Medical Foundation (KMF) members included Drs. Yogesh Bhakta, Trupti Mehta, Prakash Raygor, Pankaj Vij, Asmita Patel, and Pharmacist Paragi Patel. Other volunteers from Kailash Medical Foundation who helped us were Shrikant Mistry, Khush Bodhan, Shaili Patel, Kajal Patel & Nurse Erika Valdez. In addition, Dr. Bharat Bhatt, Dr. Kokila Bhatt, Dr. Suvas Desai and Dr. Ekta Patel volunteered as well. Thank you Dr. Yogesh Bhakta for leading KMF team.
We thank the following people for their help with five Medical Missions:
A. Maroli Sugar Factory – Chairman Pravinsinh Thakor, Managing Director G.H.Tambe, and Mr. Faisal of Yashfeen Hospital B. Narmada Sugar Factory, Rajpipla – Chairman Ghanshyambhai Patel, Managing Director Narendrabhai Patel & Dr. Ajaysinh Thakore C. Manibeli – Dr. Anil Patil D. Ganesh Sugar Factory, Valiya – Chairman Sandeepbhai Mangrola, Managing Director Banesinh Dodiya & Dr. Ajitsinh Vashi E. Mahuva Sugar Factory – Chairman Manshinhbhai Patel, Managing Director Kapse & Dr. Parimal Patel
Loma Linda University:
Drs. Brett Escarza and Gina Brown joined us for three days during the medical missions and spent two days at METAS hospital. They did 10 cataracts and 9 general surgical cases for a total of 19 surgeries. In METAS we treated a total of 44 patients and performed 47 surgeries.
UCI Team (January 9 to 14)
Seven people joined us from the University of California, Irvine. These people included Drs. Ariana Nelson, Vishal Khemlani & Benjamin Sanders from Anesthesiology. Three RNs also joined us, Fery Saremi, Jeri Turner, Maureen and a non-medical volunteer Romelia. They spent a day at Maroli on the medical mission. Then all seven left for Bidada hospital with Dr. Nitin Shah to work in operation theaters for the surgical camp. They helped with 28 surgeries on 24 patients in 3 ½ days. We thank Chairman Mr. Vijaybhai Chheda for their help.
Donors:
Contributors towards these missions include: Anekant Community Center Board of Directors, Joy of Sharing Foundation, Mr. B. U. Patel & Tarsadia Foundation, Mr. Ashok and Mrs. Madhu Patel, Drs. Bharat and Ninna Patel Foundation, Jayantibhai Patel, Nayana Patel, Mr. Naran G Patel & an anonymous donor. Lions In Sight coordinated by Khush Bodhan supported us with the eyeglasses. Masimo Company provided a ETCO2 monitor EMMA that was donated to METAS Adventist Hospital. Masimo also provided three Pulse Co-Oximeters that were used to measure total hemoglobin noninvasively in 5 medical missions where we saw a total of 3,651 patients. Prakash, Divya, Kinna, Deepal, Binish, Rupal, Preeti, Jitu, Prashant, Charu, Vijay, Viral, and Jigar were local volunteers. Local physicians also helped at Maroli, Rajpipla, Valiya, Mahuva & Manibeli along with Sugar factory workers at all the medical mission sites. In all it turned out to be a very productive 14 days in which we helped 3,829 underserved people with 1,825 eyeglasses and 222 surgeries while providing medicine and advise to all! It was very gratifying to put these missions together and I thank you all for your support, encouragement, donations and best wishes. Here’s a YouTube video that highlights 5 of the medical missions from our January 2017 trip to India.