The people who walked for years in darkness have seen a great light!(Isa 9.2)
Dembi Dollo Eye mission, October 2011.
Fighting Blindness In Ethiopia has been going back and forth to Ethiopia since 2006 and has given sight for over 1500 people. The team has been travelling all over the country East West North and South, giving eye treatments for the rural Ethiopian population who have not chance of getting this kind of eye treatments that they are receiving from FIBE.
FBIE has joined another charity organisation which is known as the Fiona Dolan fund. This charity was established in memory of Dr Fiona Dolan who was on eye specialist training diagnosed with brain tumour and died. Her husband and family have started a charity in her memory have been seconding trainee junior doctors to go to Ethiopia with the FBIE team. As the Fiona Dolan fund want to establish some permanent service FBIE has taken them ( Fiona Dolan fund) to a place called Dembi Dollo in the southwest of Ethiopia where there is no eye service apart from a small clinic run by a Catholic mission.
We have spoken with the government general hospital who has promised us if they will be supplied with necessary eye instruments and examination kit they will employee an eye doctor and trained ophthalmic nurse plus allocating especial eye unit building as memory to Fiona Dolan. Therefore both FBIE and Fiona Dolan went to Dembi Dollo from October 20 to 28th and has furnished Fiona Dolan Memorial Clinic with operating microscope, Slit lamp, Ophthalmoscope, refraction kit, ton meter and one anaesthetic machine, plus three cataract sets. As work of the clinic progresses Fiona memorial charity will equip with more supplies of implants and sutures and other necessary supplies.
This team has operated 222 patients in January and in our October trip operated another 108 patients who have received their sight.Therefore for the people of this area who has been living in darkness for so long has now seen great light. Particularly for those poor farmer who could have not afford to get eye treatments are now been remembered. This time there was a man who travelled for 800 KM to treatments. When they cannot afford they can do anything to gain their sight.
This clinic of Fiona Dolan memorial has established permanent hope and service for these people for rich and poor alike. There is a real great light has come for them after long time.
FBIE is now preparing for another trip in January to the north part of the country where we have been told there is sever eye disease.
FBIE would like to say heartfelt Thanks to all the people of Scotlandfor their generosity to enable us to active all we have done so far.