2005 Trip Schedule

Anzaldo, Bolivia November 5-12, 2004
Ophthalmology Trip

J. Mark Engel, MD, Trip Chief
Isabel Kentengian, Trip Administrator

In November of 2004, Healing the Children, Midlantic sponsored a medical mission to Anzaldo, Bolivia to provide eye surgery free of charge to needy children who do not have access to such specialized care. Although HTC Midlantic has traveled to many countries around the world, this was the first time a medical team was sent to Bolivia. HTC worked closely with our local host in Bolivia, the Fundacion Oftalmologica Boliviana, to ensure that we were able to assist as many children as possible. The team consisted of 18 medical professionals, including ophthalmologists, anesthesiologists, a cardiologist, a pediatrician, operating and recovery room nurses and administrative personnel. During the one-week mission, our team performed surgery on 59 children. In addition to the surgeries performed, our HTC doctors were able to spend time teaching the local physicians in Bolivia. Our team came back to the United States feeling very satisfied that they were able to improve the quality of life for 59 young children in Bolivia!

Trip Chief Raj Chowdary, MD once again led the largest Healing The Children, Midlantic team to the farthest we have ever traveled. Our work at HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhon Medical Center at Sriniwirot University was a collaboration between HTC Midlantic and Thai authorities, with Dr. Somchai Kulwatdanaporn, a Thai-American obstetrician, serving as facilitator and Isabel Kentengian serving as the Trip Administrator.

Screening took place on the first day to determine the children's surgical needs…. the balance of the visit was devoted to performing the necessary surgeries. Over one hundred surgeries were performed… 60 Plastic surgery cases (with an average patient age of 4.5 years) and 48 Ophthalmology cases (average patient age of 7 years).