Mission Djibouti: a report full of hope for the future
This year we are celebrating 20 years of partnership with Djibouti, where we have been on mission for the 4th time. The situation in the country has evolved since our first visit in 2002, but many children with heart disease are still waiting to be treated. Here is a look back on a week of meetings and consultations...
From October 12 to 20, a team from Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque was in Djibouti to review the children who had undergone surgery, to consult with children suffering from cardiac pathologies and to maintain links with local partners.
The team consisted of :
- Orso Chetochine, Association Director
- Dr Yvan Bouzguenda, cardiopediatrician
- Marion Saint-Picq, childcare manager
- Sarah Richer, Medical Project Manager
On site, they received a warm welcome from all those involved in the trip : the Djibouti government represented by the Minister of Health, the directors of the main hospitals in Djibouti Ville, our referent, Caroline, and a duo of committed doctors, Dr Ibrahim and Dr Abdoulaker. All these players worked together to welcome the team in the best possible conditions: transport, accommodation, meals, provision of premises...
Although Djibouti's children with heart problems benefit from the work of other foreign associations, many of them are still waiting for the operation that will save their lives. Dr Ibrahim is the only cardiologist in Djibouti willing to see children... and he's overworked! It was therefore essential to come and lend him a hand, and to identify a strong local link, Dr Abdoulkader. A pediatrician, he is currently training in cardiopediatrics, and is highly motivated to take over from Dr Ibrahim. What's more, during the week of consultations, Dr Bouzguenda gave both of them the chance tolearn practical ultrasound techniques.
Over the course of a week, our team saw 131 children in consultation at the Housseina center. Among them were 38 patients who had already undergone surgery - reviewed as part of their medical follow-up - and 93 awaiting diagnosis.
On their return to France, 28 cases were studied by our medical staff in Paris, and we have already scheduled the arrival of a few patients, starting in January 2023 for the most urgent cases.
Djibouti: a platform of hope
Thanks to a committed and proactive health policy, the hospitals in Djibouti Ville are fully equipped and functional. For example, for the most complex heart diseases, a CT scanner, inaugurated in September 2022, has been installed, making it possible to refine the diagnosis and take the best decision for these patients.
In parallel with the medical mission, Orso Chetochine, Director of the Association, was on site to meet the political and administrative authorities, including numerous ministers (Health, Interior...). Accompanied by Caroline Hassan, our highly committed referral agent, who had put all her network to good use, he also arranged numerous meetings with local companies wishing to help finance the operation on the country's children.
