FEB-A-8
OVERTURE TO THE CHIEF OF SURGERY IN ZAMBIA
FOR PLANS TO BE MADE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA
From: Glenn Geelhoed
To: Internet:surgerydep@yahoo.com
Date: 2/10/03 10:31AM
Subject: Fwd: Re: OUT OF ZAMBIA, from the SODERDAHL'S
Dear Dr. Krikor l. Erzingatsian,
I have been very interested in Zambia after prior travels through the country, and repeated work in Southern Africa. I will be again working in Malwi in the next months and have been making plans for 2004 for a trip that would include a first stop in Malawi for a period of time which I would like to extend into Zambia if you suggest that this would be recommended.
Doug Soderdahl, a close colleague of mine engaged in like‑minded pursuits, had recommended you and your program highly.
My own background and interests can be scanned from a Home Page at http://home.gwu.edu/~gwg I had spent all of 1996 in Southern Africa as Senior Fulbright Scholar for the African Regional Research Program.
I would be delighted to look into a possible connection in support of your program in Zambia, and look forward to meeting you!
Thanks!
GWG
>>> "douglas w. soderdahl" <dsoderdahl@att.net> 01/23/03 05:45PM >>>
24/1/03
gwg,
chief of surgery at UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, lusaka, zambia ...
krikor l. erzingatsian, <surgerydep@yahoo.com>. this man is brilliant, runs
a dramatically productive dept of surgery. he's "your type", kind of
comprehends EVERYTHING.
another contact there is jim jewell, a DELIGHTFUL general surgeon, who is
faculty there, but now in his later years, is spending a bit more time in
the states. he's copied above.
as ever,
doug
PS: please note that i formed a nonprofit this past summer, GLOBAL MEDICAL
MISSIONS, which will give me the 'flexibility' i have needed for some time
... i.e. LESS hassle, MORE "in the trenches".
‑‑
douglas w. soderdahl, md, facs
GLOBAL MEDICAL MISSIONS
7149 burnside court
villa rica, ga 30180‑8617
ph: (770) 832‑9025
fax: (770) 832‑1353
cell: (678) 524‑9025
e‑mail: <dsoderdahl@att.net>
On 9/26/02 13:21, "Glenn Geelhoed" <msdgwg@gwumc.edu> wrote:
> Doug:
>
> I am trying to make my Malawi plans for next year, and it looks like
> the dates of Last week in April first weeks of May 03 might work. I am
> trying to find out if I should arange a stopover in Zambia‑‑the place I
> land in any event on my way to Llongwe, and wondered since I had not
> heard anything form the letter I wrote by email to the chairman of
> surgery ther after your introductoin after we were "ships passing in the
> night" last spring.
>
> What do you advise?
>
> GWG
>
>>>> "Douglas W. Soderdahl" <dsoderdahl@att.net> 03/22/02 10:48AM >>>
>> April
> 2002
>>
>>
>> OUT OF ZAMBIA, SOUTHERN AFRICA
>>
>>
>> Dear family & friends,
>>
>> We faced a significant dilemma. The baggage allowance on Kenya
> Airways
>> from Nairobi to Lusaka, Zambia is 44 lbs. per person. As a result of
> carrying
>> most equipment necessary for urologic surgery, our bags weighed well
> over 350
>> lbs. Excess weight charges would far exceed the nearly $1,000 for our
> two
>> tickets. BUT, God superintended, such that 4 nationals, having
> attended the
>> Kenya CHRISTIAN MEDICAL & DENTAL ASSOCIATIONS Continuing Medical
> Education
>> Conference, accompanied us. We were able to consolidate our baggage
> into a
>> single unit for the group. Consequently, NO excess charges were
> levied. Godıs
>> Hand of blessing!
>>
>> Though invited two years ago by Dr. J., Senior Lecturer in
> Surgery, to
>> work in the Urology Section of the University Teaching
> Hospital/University of
>> Zambia (UTH), we upon arrival became the charge of Dr. L., Head of
> Urology.
>> What a delight! Dr. L., his lovely wife and 2 adorable pre‑teen
> children,
>> relocated to Lusaka 6 years ago from neighboring Zimbabwe, where they
> saw
>> escalating threats to their safety under the de facto dictatorship
> of
>> President Robert Mugabe. The familyıs homeland is Egypt, but a
> humanitarian
>> inclination led them to care for the impoverished in sub‑Saharan
> Africa.
>>
>> The first President of Zambia, shortly after independence in
> 1964
>> (formerly North Rhodesia) declared the country a ³Christian nation²,
> perhaps
>> the only one on earth. Indeed, the Christian church continues to grow
> in
>> numbers, particularly the Pentecostal group. Career workers inform us
> of the
>> critical need to train national pastors. Mrs. L. supplements her
> husbandıs
>> $250 per month through employment at the Egyptian Embassy. Their
> childrenıs
>> school fees consume the lionıs share of their joint income.
>>
>> Life in Lusaka is relaxed, congenial and moving forward. Now, it
> sports
>> even a fine shopping mall! However, ³challenges² present themselves
> not
>> infrequently ... drought, lack of the basic necessities not to
> mention
>> amenities such as clean water and garbage collection, rampant
> inflation,
>> rising hooliganism, the devastation of HIV/AIDS (40% prevalence) and
>> dreadfully insufficient healthcare delivery. Additionally, their
> ³interesting²
>> neighbors ... Zimbabwe, Rwanda, the two Congoıs and Angola ... all
> are
>> embroiled in severe civil unrest.
>>
>> In my work I see an assortment of diseases, many dramatically
> different
>> from what I would see in a more advanced locale. UTH has 1,800
> inpatient beds.
>> Presently, there are training programs for national physicians in
> Medicine,
>> Pediatrics, Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynecology. Dr.L. dreams of
> starting a
>> training program in Urology. With only two trained urologists in all
> of Zambia
>> (for over 13 million people), such an effort seems most worthy.
>>
>> WE conducted training at UTH in March for about 3 weeks. Dr. L.ıs
> desire
>> to begin a training program ignited as he profited a great deal from
> our
>> teaching ... lectures, ward rounds, work in the outpatient department
> and in
>> the operating theatre. We introduced the most modern of technologies
> ...
>> vaporization (ablation) without incision of prostate and uterus.
> Dr.L.
>> learned quickly, incredulous at this modern advance permitting major
> surgery
>> with minimal bleeding, next‑day discharge from the hospital and
> return to
>> routine activity in two days! In his eagerness to implement this
> teaching as
>> quickly as possible, he has purchased from personal modest resources
> the
>> instruments he will require. Dr.L. articulates, ³Dr. Douglas and
> Sister Nancy
>> illustrate so well my heartıs desire to relieve such unnecessary
> suffering of
>> my adopted people. They have inspired and challenged me by
> demonstrating their
>> Christian faith before me and the many others with whom they
> interacted. In
>> fact, they introduced prayer into surgery, which evoked deep respect
> for such
>> a dedicated couple.²
>>
>> This mission proved both a pleasant surprise (Lusaka, verdant and
> clean,
>> with many fine restaurants, may be one of Africaıs well‑kept
> secrets.) and
>> heartbreaking as well. Our goals ... to open doors and encourage
> career
>> workers, to train nationals and to embody Christıs loving care ...
> were
>> realized. Again, God has wrought His work both IN and THROUGH us,
> all made
>> possible by you, our faithful supporters.
>>
>> By the time you read this, weıll likely be serving in China for
> several
>> weeks. We plan, Lord willing, to be in Xiıan, Beijing, Dalian and
> perhaps,
>> Inner Mongolia. Words flee as we express our need of and appreciation
> for your
>> prayers with and for us.
>>
>>
>> Serving faithfully,
>>
>>
>>
>> Doug & Nancy Soderdahl CONTRIBUTIONS:
>> 7149 Burnside Court THE WORLD MEDICAL
> MISSION
>> Villa Rica, GA 30180‑8617 Box 3000
>> Phone: (770) 832‑9025 Boone, NC
> 28607‑3000
>> Edress: <dsoderdahl@att.net> Account
> #1969
>