Mission to Nepal, November 2011

In November 2011, Operation Walk Syracuse will undertake its first mission abroad, to Kathmandu, Nepal. Nepal, a country with only one physician per 20,000 people, is in great need of specialized medical care. In cooperation with the Nepalese Ministry of Health, four orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and operative teams (about 50 people in total) will travel for a 9-day mission to complete 75-100 total-joint replacements.

Operation Walk Syracuse will build four of their own operating rooms in Nepal so that all of the surgeons can operate the entire day for the duration of the mission. The operative teams must bring every piece of equipment that could possibly be needed in the joint replacement surgeries and post-operative care. To that end, about 15,000 pounds of supplies will be shipped to Nepal prior to the mission.

Doctors in Nepal are currently undertaking a pre-selection process to provide the optimal candidates for joint replacement surgeries. The final candidates will be screened and chosen at the beginning of the November mission.

Medical education is an important component of the November 2011 mission. Nepalese doctors will be observing and assisting in the surgery so that they can gain exposure to the latest orthopedic surgery techniques and technologies. The Operation Walk team also includes physical therapists who will train local practitioners to appropriately care for the patients after the team leaves. To ensure the successful outcomes of the joint replacement procedures, extensive physical therapy is needed for weeks after the surgeries.