The Global Surgery Program at Mount Sinai has contributed to the surgical needs of African countries for the more than eight years. We have brought desperately needed surgical supplies to Gambia, and we have established surgical programs in Liberia.
Liberia
In partnership with Liberia - Mission of Hope, Jeffrey Freed, MD, and a team of general surgeons, OB/GYNs, radiologists, anesthesiologist, nurses, residents and medical students from Mount Sinai spend two weeks providing surgical and perioperative care to patients at Phebe Hospital in Bong County, Liberia. Throughout our team’s two weeks on the ground, we spend nine full days operating, completing approximately 90 surgical cases, such as colon and small bowel resections; hernia repairs; hysterectomies; c-sections; uterine prolapse repairs; and resection of malignant intra-abdominal, uterine, or ovarian tumors.
Additionally, we work closely with local providers and students in many educational and capacity-building endeavors, including instructional lectures on advanced nursing care as well as x-ray and ultrasound technique. Our mission is financed each year by the team’s own fundraising efforts, as well as generous donations of medical equipment and medication from outside groups.
Dr. Freed looks forward to continuing the ongoing relationship with the Phebe community stating, “Each time, I am gratified that we are able to offer help in curing diseases that could not otherwise be treated in Liberia. And each year, I enjoy watching the growth of local providers and students right alongside our own residents and medical students.”
Dr. Freed has also led and participated in a number of similar one- and two-week missions to resource-poor settings throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, where our physicians teach and provide care of surgical pathology in many communities.