A Guernsey anaesthetist has participated in a novel charity trip to Rwanda to share vital knowledge with doctors in the country.
Dr Michelle Le Cheminant, Deputy Chair and Consultant Anaesthetist at the Medical Specialist Group, made the journey with eye care charity Orbis – marking her eighth time volunteering with the charity since 2017.
This time it was on the Flying Eye Hospital, an aircraft which doubles up as a teaching hospital which features an operating theater, recovery room and a classroom.
Training focused on supporting local eye care teams to treat more children and adults at risk of blindness, raise awareness about eye health, and expand access to sight-saving care.
This took place on board the plane and in partnership with the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology and Kibagabaga Hospital.
There are an estimated 1.2 million people living with sight loss and an estimated 20,000 people who are blind in Rwanda.
Cataract, a clouding of the lens, is the most common cause of blindness. Only 30% of people who need the surgery have it, and only half of those who need glasses have them.
Dr Le Cheminant said: “Rwanda has just 30 anaesthetists for a population of 13 million people, meaning that training the next generation is vital for the future of safe surgery in Rwanda. The local team were incredibly welcoming and their enthusiasm for learning was clear.
“One stand-out moment for me was on board the Flying Eye Hospital teaching a trainee how to do her first local anaesthetic eye block and witnessing her sense of achievement upon learning a new skill.
“Another was talking to our patients in the pre-assessment clinic and hearing their stories. I recall a particularly charismatic elderly gentleman in a trilby hat – a potato farmer, he reminded me of home. His smile was infectious, and it was a joy to see him at several times on his journey that week and to watch him walk off the plane after a successful surgery.
“I really enjoy volunteering in this way and sharing my knowledge and experience. And I find that it benefits my patients in Guernsey, too, as I learn a lot from other Orbis volunteer doctors who come from centres of excellence all over the world.”
