The New Year started off with our 11th mission to Niger. Returning again were Dr. Charles Ascher-Walsh, Dr. Julianne Newcomer and Dr. Alf Bent. Joining our team as new members were Dr. Joan Blomquist, Dr. Michelle Germain, Dr. Mary Pat Fitzgerald, Dr.Linda Fan and Nurse Njoki Ng’ang’a. Our group also included IOWD Board Member, Ambassador Barbro Kirkpatrick, Deborah Lindholm, Executive Director of Foundation for Women, Dr. Anders Siem, Executive Director of Health and Development International, Irene DeWatteville of the Seth Sprague Foundation and Michelle Walter and Camilla Walter…
One hundred and two women were examined during this mission; forty-four surgeries were performed. Many of those examined were former patients returning for follow-up exams. Others were asked to return in April for surgery, as time did not allow for more operations.
Our Peace Corp Volunteer, Kim Riley, continues to be an incredibly important component of our program. When our team is not present in Niger, Kim is representing IOWD when dealing with local and international organizations in Niger. She also makes sure that a radio announcement is sent out, informing the women in villages beyond Niamey, that the American team is arriving to help them. When the women come to the Hospital, Kim interviews all of them, recording pertinent social and medical information. This has proved to be a tremendous benefit for IOWD and the National Hospital – as to keeping up-dated medical records on the patients. Kim is also teaching Mariama, Saadatou and Haoua basic language skills, and overseeing their progress in learning nursing aide skills. Kim translates for our doctors in the Operating Rooms; and she goes on twice-a-day “Rounds” with the doctors when they visit their patients in the Wards. Indeed, Kim has so many responsibilities in seeing that our program moves along with the least amount of “hitches” – it would take pages to list all that she does for IOWD!!