Stichting Interplast Holland

18 BurundiA great many patients at NgoziIn contrast to Bujumbura, the number of patients at Ngoziwas overwhelming. More than 150 patients were waiting,and all of them wanted to see the Mzungu (white) doctoras is apparent from Rein Zeeman’s report: ‘It turnedout that everyone had paid around 500 Bfr, which isapproximately 30 euro cents, but it did mean thateverybody wanted attention and advice. It was all ratherhectic, though fortunately we managed to see them allbefore it got dark’.Earlier visits to Ngozi had been memorable because ofthe enthusiasm of the local staff, but now, in the absenceof the only local surgeon Dr Augustin, the organisation inthe operating theatre had suffered. Thankfully, Dr Claudewas very enthusiastic. The anaesthetic team were givenItalian support in the form of Dr Vania, an intensive careanaesthetist from Verona. The operating theatreprogrammes were full, but in the end the team managedto work through them all without any problems and in fourdays they performed almost 50 operations!During the ward round on the first day, the Interplast teamfound that nothing had been arranged for their patients, nochecks had been carried out and none of them were beinggiven anything to eat or drink. Luckily, the team managedto make arrangements for their patients with the hospitalkitchen that same evening.In Ngozi; mother with operated childThe vaporiser that they had brought with them fromThe Netherlands fitted exactly onto the anaestheticapparatus. A stroke of good fortune, for back in 2010, ina different hospital, the Interplast team had had to borrowone because there was no working equipment. Now theycould immediately put the apparatus to good and safeuse.Adult, before and after cleft lip operationThe start of the car trip back to Bujumbura, for the postoperativerounds and flight back home on Friday morning,was difficult because of the scarcity of petrol. In the end,after some haggling, and after having paid a somewhathigher price on the black market to get enough petrol fortheir return trip, the team set off for Bujumbura where theywere to carry out the final dressing changes at CHUK withDr Jean-Claude.Happily, there were few complications and they could besatisfied with the results. After a slow start at CHUK it wasa successful mission, with sincere thanks to their wonderfulhostess Esperence (nobody became ill!), Brarudi and ourembassy in Bujumbura.The next mission will be to Kibimba and Ryuigi in theEastern part of Burundi in March 2013.Operations Burundi18 cleft lips and/or palates18 post burn contracture45 other•