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Missions
Our first mission was completed in October 2007
Aim of October 2007 visit:
- To perform surgical procedures free of charge for patients – a majority of females and mostly children.
- Cleft lip and palate, burn patients, and hand deformities and injuries - totalling approximately 80 patients.
- To train the local surgeons and aneasthetists
- To train the Nursing services
- To share our nursing experiences with the local nursing teams
We are planning to operate in three treatment centres and conduct hands on teaching sessions.
Itinery: Departure Sunday 7th October returning Sunday 21st October.
- Twelve hour shifts 8:00am to 8:00pm
- 6 days - Dhaka Community Hospital(Cleft palate/lips, hand surgery, burns).
- 3 days - ‘Jibon Tari’ Floating Hospital(Lip and body surface surgery).
- 2 days - Square hospital Dhaka(Cleft lip/palate reconstruction).
- Visit hospitals for in-service and education.
- Visit 2 upgrade hospitals to compare procedures.
Logistics.
- The Aussi Bangla Smile surgical team consists of 8 people.
- Return air flights to Bangladesh (approx. $1500 each).
- Accommodation is based in Dhaka in a self-contained flat.
- Equipment that is required to be taken to Bangladesh.
- 2 – 3 sets of instruments - being made in India and delivered to Dhaka.
- Local anaesthetic medications
- Sutures
- Surgical supplies such as sponges, swabs, blades, dressings and gloves
- Equipment that is required to be purchased upon arrival at destination:
o Anaesthetic drugs
o Drapes - All unused and surplus equipment (except instruments to be used for further trips) will be donated to the local theatre staff at the conclusion of the mission.
- Any funds left over will also be used to finance further proposed missions.
The team managed to visit the Acid burn Hospital briefly but did not perform any surgery there on this mission. The original aim was for 100 cases but this was revised to 80 cases.
In the end the October 2007 mission succeeded in treating a total of 93 patients!
