Thanks to the cooperation of a Belgian non-governmental organization (World Wide Ophthalmology), we have been able to organize a week-long ophthalmologic mission at the St Raphael Ophthalmologic Centre in Mbuji Mayi. Our goal was to carry out as many operations as possible. Mbuji Mayi is a city of two million. According to various sources, there are 12,000 people blinded by cataracts living in the city! It takes a long time for our small centre with its annual 800 cataract operations to make significant inroads into that number! I thought we should try to arrange a cataract campaign where we could operate virtually free of charge asking for outside support.
The Belgian mission was a great success. In one week we managed to perform 200 cataract operations. Contribution to the operation was set at $10, and having regard to the great poverty here, we treated many patients for free.

With three microscopes we could work on three tables simultaneously.

Two doctors arrived from Belgium, who mainly used the ultrasonic lens cutting technique (phacoemulsification). At the third table I worked with a young Congolese colleague using the traditional extracapsular technique. It was great, as we were able to spend a lot of time on training as well.
We have also received a wonderful gift, an almost new instrument suitable for operations on complete anterior and posterior segments!

Millennium meter
(Baush & Lomb Millennium) + operating sets for surgery on 200 patients. The 600-kilo container arrived a day late, but that is an every day occurrence in Africa...
We received much very useful advice from the guests; Nurse Wencke reorganized the entire operating room! This will certainly make the work faster and more effective.
Mélanie. I think that the little African farewell we had the last night left a lasting memory in our new friends. We heartily thank you, Jacqueline, Kristine and Wencke, and we expect you back next year!!!
Mbuji Mayi Ophthalmic Mission

Thanks to the cooperation of a Belgian non-governmental organization (World Wide Ophthalmology), we have been able to organize a week-long ophthalmologic mission at the St Raphael Ophthalmologic Centre in Mbuji Mayi. Our goal was to carry out as many operations as possible. Mbuji Mayi is a city of two million. According to various sources, there are 12,000 people blinded by cataracts living in the city! It takes a long time for our small centre with its annual 800 cataract operations to make significant inroads into that number! I thought we should try to arrange a cataract campaign where we could operate virtually free of charge asking for outside support.

The Belgian mission was a great success. In one week we managed to perform 200 cataract operations. Contribution to the operation was set at $10, and having regard to the great poverty here, we treated many patients for free.

With three microscopes we could work on three tables simultaneously.Two doctors arrived from Belgium, who mainly used the ultrasonic lens cutting technique (phacoemulsification). At the third table I worked with a young Congolese colleague using the traditional extracapsular technique. It was great, as we were able to spend a lot of time on training as well.

We have also received a wonderful gift, an almost new instrument suitable for operations on complete anterior and posterior segments!

 Millennium meter

(Baush & Lomb Millennium) + operating sets for surgery on 200 patients. The 600-kilo container arrived a day late, but that is an every day occurrence in Africa...

 We received much very useful advice from the guests; Nurse Wencke reorganized the entire operating room! This will certainly make the work faster and more effective.

 Mélanie. I think that the little African farewell we had the last night left a lasting memory in our new friends. We heartily thank you, Jacqueline, Kristine and Wencke, and we expect you back next year!!!

Farewell Party

Fr Richard July, 2011
Last Updated on Friday, 07 October 2011 15:41