An Appeal for Plastic Surgeons to Help in Rwanda

An Appeal for Plastic Surgeons to Help in Rwanda

(Rotary leaders from all countries are asked to distribute this appeal
widely.)

At the request of the Health Minister of Rwanda, a medical mission is
contemplated for a group of plastic surgeons to repair damaged bodies
resulting from the unrest there in the mid 1990's. Past Rotary
International President Raja Saboo will be organizing a group or
doctors from India and would welcome surgeons from other countries to
build a truly international team.

PRIP Saboo expects that the medical mission would take place some time
between mid-November 2012 and be completed by mid-April 2013. The
actual length of time a surgeon would remain in Rwanda would will also
depend upon the suitability of the host country, our own team building
process and the funding arrangement.

Inquiries should be sent to PRIP Saboo at rksaboo@kddl.com

For background, see the following message sent from Rwanda by PRIP
Saboo. "Last night we had a major Rotary event at which the Health
Minister of Rwanda was present. This was the third meeting we had with
her in course of our stay. She was extraordinarily helpful and friendly
person who has not spared any words to admire and praise Rotary. She
gave a challenge and I think she was also speaking on behalf of the
President and the First Lady of the country. What she spoke very
emotionally is something that we need to pay attention to. As you may
know, Rwanda went through genocide in which more than a million people
were butchered in hundred days. Those stories are just horrible and one
cannot have enough courage to listen to all of them. Anyway the health
minister indicated that there are at least 2900 such people who have
been disfigured bodily, their faces totally distorted and their
appearance being so gruesome that they have confined themselves to
their homes and are not able to come out of their houses so as not to
show their body or faces to the public. The other side of it is that
the government is also afraid that if they would come out, their
appearance itself might trigger a revengeful action which might lead to
yet another violence, disturbing the very articulated peace process
that the country is going through. Can Rotary do something for them?
This was the question that the Health Minister put. I discussed this
matter with the Rotarians of Rwanda including Governor Fred who happens
to belong to Congo and they are all excited about it."

Courtesy : www.eflashonline.org