The Mending Kids and EFF Cardiac Surgical Mission to Ethiopia took place from June 12-21, 2015 in collaboration with the surgical team from Star Hospital in Hyderabad, India. This mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was led by U.S. pediatric interventional cardiologist Dr. David A. Ferry of CHLA, and by Indian pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Gopichand Mannam. Mending Kids invited Dr. Yayehyriad (Yayu) Mekonnen, a pediatric cardiac surgeon in his third year of fellowship with Save a Child’s Heart in Israel, to observe and learn advanced skills from Dr. Mannam on this mission. Dr. Mekonnen is originally from Ethiopia, and plans to return to Ethiopia after his fellowship in order to aid in the cardiac care of Ethiopian children. Dr. Yilkal Chanie, the new director of the cardiac center in Addis, also received advanced training on pediatric interventional cardiology by Dr. Ferry during the mission.
30 children received the cardiac surgeries and repairs they needed. Over 40 children were screened. There were 12 surgeries and 18 caths. The mission was a huge success. We will continue to train staff in Addis in the areas of pediatric interventional cardiology, open heart surgery and anesthesiology with a goal of local staff gaining the confidence needed to do these procedures without needing international missions to assist them.
Please open this link to see pictures of the mission and of beautiful Ethiopia. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mendingkidsinternational/sets/72157655551590455