I will participate through the VOOM Foundation (https://www.voomfoundation.org/medical-missions.html) as a pediatric cardiologist on their team. Our team will consist of surgeons, anesthesiologists, ICU doctors, nurses, and perfusionists to diagnose, medically treat, and cure children in Nigeria of their congenital heart disease. The mission is in Oraifite, Nigeria over the span of 1-2 weeks. In addition, I will be educating/training the local cardiologists on the diagnosis and medical management of congenital heart disease.
Around 24 Nigerian children are planned for open heart surgery. In addition, I should be able to help leave a lasting impact by educating the local cardiologists. As to why this population, it is underserved often never getting the care/surgical cure they need. The absence of that often leads to them living a significantly shortened life span with a reduced quality of life.
Expected impact is 24 children acutely. Longer term there is impact with education. Voom will be returning in the fall to continue their mission. With education, I should be able to help the local cardiologists better medically manage before that return. In addition, I hope to improve the number of children able to receive surgery for the next visit by improving diagnostic ability and medical understanding allowing for more children to be immediately ready for surgery upon the start of the next mission.
We traveled to Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital in Oraifite, Nigeria through the Voom Foundation to deliver surgical pediatric heart care to Nigeria's most vulnerable and underserved kids. We were able to go from confirming or making the cardiac diagnosis utilizing cardiac CTs/caths/echocardiograms, to operative intervention, and finally to complete postoperative ICU/step down care for around 20 children over one week of service. Surgical intervention will be curative for most if not all the children served! Such an amazing and life defining trip that I would recommend for anyone considering international work in countries with very limited healthcare access. Thank you Doximity for fully funding my flight and the Voom Foundation for taking care of all the ground logistics, housing, and meals.
