Swisscross November 2023 Humanitarian Mission
Dr Andreas Platz, the Chief physician at the Triemli Hospital, Zurich for orthopedics, hand and trauma surgery (L) and Dr Walter Kunzi, Swisscross chief surgeon performing hand surgery at the Centre of Excellence for Complex Care in Erbil. November 2023.
Providing reconstructive surgery is one of the most effective ways to support people affected by injuries caused by conflict or exacerbated by the circumstances of war.
The Swisscross Foundation’s November Humanitarian Mission successfully completed 37 surgeries over 8 days at Zheen International Hospital in Erbil.
Our team also screened and carried out follow-ups and re-assessments on over 100 patients in the first few days of the mission.
Led by a Global Medical Corp team - a group of the world’s best complex care medical experts - the mission includes local specialists who are not only giving their time to providing complex care to vulnerable patients, but are helping train the next generation of doctors and healthcare workers in Iraq.
(L-R) Sayran Mohemmed, theatre surgical assistance, Dr Sarmad Nashat, Plastic surgeon and Dr Mustafa Subhe, Plastic surgeon are a part of the distinguished local team, who performed a breast reconstruction on a vulnerable patient unable to afford surgery.
This November Swisscross was joined by two new global volunteers to the surgical team - Dr Andreas Platz, Chief physician at the Triemli Hospital, Zurich for orthopedics, hand and trauma surgery and Dr Veith Moser, a renowned plastic surgeon with expertise in peripheral nerve and hand surgery, who is head of reconstructive outpatient clinic at the Vienna Trauma Center, Vienna.
(L-R) Dr Walter Kunzi, Professor Andreas Platz, Dr Veith Moser (sitting) and Dr Mustafa Subhe peforming hand surgery in November 2023 at the Swisscross Centre in Erbil.
Swisscross mission also includes bolstering frontline healthcare professionals through training and education. Our global specialists have been instrumental in providing training tools which amplify local medical knowledge and capacity.
During November’s mission, Dr Natasha Forster, a specialist in reconstructive and plastic surgery provided plastic surgery and general surgery department at Rizgari Teaching Hospital a presentation on breast reconstruction.
Refugee breast cancer survivors in camps and vulnerable women who have survived breast cancer are more than often left in pain and in the urgent need of reconstructive surgery.
Dr Forster provided 35 specialists and residents including the head of plastic department at Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Professor Dr Jalal Hamasalih a presentation looking at the multidisciplinary approaches and techniques to breast reconstruction and shared her vast microsurgical knowledge.
Dr Natasha Forster presents a seminar at Rizgary Teaching Hospital on breast reconstruction. November 2023.
Reconstructive surgery has benefits to the patient personally, financially, and psychologically. To support our program in Erbil, which is providing reconstructive surgery to refugees and some of the most vulnerable communities across Itaq, please consider donating here.
