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
When our last Intercontinental medicare mission, "Reach Out to Africa" was in Rwanda, Past Rotary International President flashed the following message to the Rotary world. .
"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."
"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."
