28 February 2012
Interplast Medical Team Help Lao Patients
at the Mahosot Hospital
The Interplast Australia and New Zealand medical team is working from February 27 to March 9 in Vientiane. Interplast aims to improve lives through treating people with disabling conditions by enabling access to surgery and allied health services in developing countries and building capacity in local health services. The Interplast team is funded by the Rotary Club of Australia.
The team volunteers their time to work with Lao medical doctors, anaesthetists and nurses at the Mahosot Hospital. The Interplast Team includes 7 highly skilled health professionals, two surgeons; two anaesthetist and three nurses. They offer free surgical treatment for selected patients from all over Laos at no cost to the patient.
The Interplast Team come to Laos every six month for two weeks. They provide assessment support and surgery for patients with some of the most complex surgical problems including patients with severe burns many of whom are children. In the past the Interplast team travelled to rural areas to conduct operations. More recently the surgery has been performed in Vientiane. The Women’s International Group, based in Vientiane, has supported patients with transportation and other costs during their stay in Vientiane to ensure treatment can be accessed by those who need it most.
The Mahosot Hospital and the Interplast Team have been working together for over a decade. In the past there was a focus on cleft lip and palate surgery. Interplast Australia and New Zealand has signed a new three-year agreement in 2011 to continue to treat patients in Laos. During Interplasts’ last visit to Mahosot hospital in 2011, the team met with more than 60 patients; more than 50 patients received operations. This visit, already 64 patients have been seen and 50 have been scheduled for surgery over the next 2 weeks.
The Interplast Team first worked voluntarily in the Pacific Islands during the 1960’s and this program has been expanded to other countries. They are now working in many developing countries in the Asia Pacific region. The Interplast Team was invited by the Lao Government to assist in Laos in 1996.
On Monday 27 February, the Interplast Team called on the Mahosot Hospital Director, Mr Chanhpheng Thammavong. The Team will again meet the Director on March 9 to report on the outcome of their work.