Our Trip to Madagascar - February 2020
Coming from 4 different cities in Germany, our motivated winter team, supported by Pro-Interplast Seligenstadt, met as always at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris this year. The team consisted of Dr. Bertram Reingruber (pediatric surgery), Dr. Raphael Hofbauer (orthopedic pediatric surgery), anesthesiologist Dr. Michael Krewitt, Dr. Ralf von Siekow, Dr. Ruth Traxel and anesthesia nurse Ursula Holstein, orthopedic specialist Klaus Thiering and 2 medical students and myself.
After 3 long flights and a bus ride, we finally arrived in Manambaro, the destination that we have been visiting regularly since 2006 where we have carried out numerous treatments and operations.
The second week was dedicated to the patients of the capital Antananarivo, where we performed our operations in the new, modern MMHM hospital. (Mobile help Madagascar)
We successfully performed a total of 123 operations, 115 of which under general anesthesia. We mainly treated club feet, umbilical, testicular and groin hernias as well as tumors and malformations of the face and body.
What was special about this assignment was the presence of an orthopedic team who checked our previous treatments from 2019 for the "Run4Fun" project for children with clubfeet, as well as carrying out heavier additional treatments. A total of 30 children have now been successfully treated through our project. Follow-up checks will continue to be carried out to achieve the best result for those affected.
Thanks to the support of MHM, I was able to visit some of the school children from the Narindra project at home and at school. This project started in November 2018 with 12 children. Now, 2 of them will graduate from school and will be supported by us on their path to their dream jobs. Both girls want to train as social workers. We hope to be able to send more children to school for the new school year in 2020.
Please support us in this. Check out our website take a closer look and think about possible support.
Best regards,
Dr. Hanieh Erdmann