Twelve of us volunteers from the USA arrived in Hyderabad from JFK/NYC Saturday evening and checked into the Novotel with our 17 duffles of medical/surgical supplies, mostly donated from generous partners in the USA. Luckily all the baggage arrived on time with us. We were joined at 9AM (India time is 10 1/2 hours ahead of EST) breakfast by 5 more vols. from USA who had come in during the night. John Mark and Franklin arrived with the hired bus. We loaded and boarded, and headed off for Khammam, 200km to the ENE. A rest stop with lunch on the way, we arrived late afternoon at SMMH. After filing our papers with the Police, we unloaded and unpacked and gave the first timers a tour of SMMH, in all its glory.

Monday morning dawned early (5:30PM Sunday EST), and after breakfast (all meals were graciously provided by Vasantha Mark and her staff in her home), we started Screening Clinic in the Out-patient building, skillfully and carefully organized by Joe B., Lee Emerson, and Dr. Sulochana. The Opening Ceremonies were held under the huge tent-canopy, with several dignitaries present, with much fan-fare and thanksgiving by our Indian hosts. Screening Clinic, which usually resembles a cross between a Cecil B. DeMille mob scene, and semi-controlled chaos, was run until the last patient was seen at 7PM. Over 150 patients were consulted on, with many scheduled for surgery in the up-coming days.

The real surgery started at 8AM Tuesday 13Jan. Three surgeons, Bob Dickie, and George working at the 3 OR tables, with our anesthesia teams. Bob taught the first timers sterile technique, cap, mask, gown, and surgical scrub, giving each lay volunteer as much opportunity to scrub and assist at surgeries and each wished. Drs. Nagamani, Sulochana, and Papa Rao also performed several Gyn and Laparoscopic operations as well. By Saturday 17Jan we had done 106 procedures on as many patients, some of whom had several sites treated. Saturday noon, Joseph Gurrala, Hussain, and Randy left for Hyderabad and the trip home, and Erin & John O’Kane arrived. On Sunday 18Jan Cleo, Rena, Catlin, and Margaret all left (school schedules), and Dirk and Hema arrived.

Sunday is the day off for everyone. We visited the always welcoming folks in the Leprosy Village, victims and their families, which is always heart-warming for hosts and visitors alike. We then visited the Artificial Limb center, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Khammam in partnership with a few foreign Rotary Clubs. Using an ingenious technique with PVC pipe, an artificial below-knee limb can be custom-made for a patient for about $25, above-knee for about $40.

Sunday afternoon, most of the American team with John Mark went to the Village of Mamidigudem where a new Rural Health Clinic building had just been erected with funds donated generously by Rev. Ruth Merriam and the Church On The Cape in Kennebunkport, ME. The opening ribbon was cut and we all crowded in to inspect the great new facility of two rooms. One room for consultation by the resident nurse or the visiting doctor; the other room is where the resident nurse lives, cares for patients, and delivers babies. This building is a big step forward for the Village of Mamidigudem.

Surgery resumed Monday AM, working 12 to 14 hours a day for the next 5 days. 214 patients had surgical procedures of one kind or another. We finished the last case Friday afternoon, in time for closing ceremonies, presided over by Bishop Prasada Rao. We finished the evening with a banquet under the stars for the FSC Team and all the wonderful people who helped to make the two weeks effort so successful for those 214 people who had procedures and the additional 800 or so patients who were consulted on during FSC, bringing the total of patients seen during FSC to over 1,000.

On Saturday morning we made final rounds, sending as many patients home as was safe and proper. We packed, loaded, and headed for the long trip home. Half of us stopped in Hyderabad to visit the lovely white marble Birla Hindu temples. We then walked around Charminar, with its four towers, built as the grand entrance gate to the city in 1514. We had a few minutes to buy some pearls before heading out to the Rajiv Gandhi Airport. It was the culmination of a very successful two weeks at Free Surgical Camp.

We wish to thank all of you who so generously contributed not only to FSC, to make the Camp happen, but also to the rebuilding and re-supplying of the SMMH. You have helped us transform those parts of the Hospital we use most into the modern, twenty-first century facility that befits the safe, effective care of the poor. You have also helped pay the salaries of our Indian colleague physicians who work, year round, caring for the poor. Our dream is to gain enough confidence of the half million people we serve, that they will use SMMH for their health care on a year round, regular basis, eventually obviating the need for a Free Surgical Camp. Whether your contribution is large or small, its all of working together that makes it all happen. People you will never meet thank you, knowing that you cared enough to reach out. None of this would be possible without your support. We all, from both the USA and India, thank you so much.

Respectfully submitted,
George Longstreth, MD,FACS

 

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Participants:

 

Participants: Surgeons – Drs. Bob Dwyer, Dickie Butsch, Dirk Noyes, George Longstreth, PapaRao; Anesthesiologists – Drs. Judy Freeman, Bernie Miller, Gopi Chand, Hussain Lakdawalla; CRNAs – Randy Cima, Erin O’Kane; Ob-Gyn – Drs. Nagamani, Hema Jonnalagadda; Internal Medicine – Dr. Joseph Gurrala; Family Practice – Drs. Sulochana, Joshua, Abhishakth, Evangeline Mark; Radiology – Dr. Ravindra; Dental – Dr. Annie Chris; Nursing – Chris Butsch,RN, John O’Kane,RN, Sister Deborah and her many talented Nursing Staff at SMMH; Mr. Joe Bardenheier, David & Lee Emerson, Beth Fluke, Cleo Siderides, Rena Hedeman, Catlin Hedeman, Margaret Hedeman; Translators – Titus, Vincent; Helper/handimen – Chary, Raju; Publicist – Samson (Sonny) Azariah & brother Christopher; Our Hosts – Vasantha & Rev.PC John Mark, President CSU, Mr.Franklin, CSU, aide & confident; Director Diocese Khammam District – Rev. Ravindra; Our Partner and Friend, Director of SMMH – Rt. Rev. Dr. Bishop V. Prasada Rao.

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