Volunteer: Ho Natalie Iris Tze Ying (HKU M20)
Trip participated: Surgery trip 8/11 – 12/11
I joined the Cataract Service Trip (Surgery) to Mei Yuan from 8th to 12th November 2015. It was truly a precious experience and I would like to once again thank Medical Outreachers for offering this opportunity and Green Action Charity Foundation for their hospitality throughout the trip.
For most of the time during the trip I was responsible for helping patients cover an eye during preliminary eyesight checks. At first I felt a bit disappointed for not being able to get involved in medical-related procedures, but turned out that I was able to observe a lot more by staying in the open waiting area. I was quite shocked to witness one by one patients whose eyesight deteriorated to really bad situations. Some had both eyes unable to see things further than 10cm away, while some could no longer see and only possess light sensitivity. I still remember vividly an old man who was blinded and could not even sense light when shined on his eyes. He was sitting at the corner trembling and crying with his relatives comforting him. It must be a terrifying experience for him to travel to this strange place without knowing what would happen. I could not imagine people in Hong Kong tolerating these conditions without seeking medical help at early stages. There must be reasons why they were not able to receive treatment before the disease progressed to such extents, and I believe mostly were due to financial limitations. There was an afternoon when I could enter the operation theatre to observe seven cataract surgeries. The doctor was very patient and willing to answer my questions and I learnt a lot from him. I am really grateful to be able to look at suffering from another perspective during the trip. This makes the work of the charity more meaningful. There really are people in need out there who may not be able to gain access to medical care.
Preliminary eyesight test conducted for every patient
Cataract surgery in the operating theatre
Another gain from the trip is gaining more exposure to the Mainland healthcare environment. Without being there in person, I would not expect the hospital environment in China to be really different from that in Hong Kong. The preventive measures and hygiene certainly need to be improved. For instance, nurses do not wear gloves when taking blood samples from patients. I recall seeing a nurse with patient’s blood spurted all over her fingers, and she just wiped them off casually and proceeded to the next patient. This is very dangerous but I felt I am not in the right position to point that out. Also, there was no proper sharp box for disposing needles, instead they used put a plastic bag inside a cardboard box for the purpose. No disinfection was done to the surfaces where patients place their body parts on. Maybe this is due to differences in the level of awareness. Hopefully by time the healthcare professionals there will develop better habits and practices. Besides, I was shocked to find out that the hospital closes on Sundays. I personally do not think that this is justifiable at all especially with no other major hospitals around. I also think that the patients deserve a lot more respect than what is being done there currently. There are still a lot of problems to be addressed despite the improvements in hardware.
Group photo after surgery
Happy patients before being discharged from the hospital
Green Action Charity Foundation has been doing a great job in serving the local communities in Mainland, not only in cataract treatment but also in other aspects to improve their quality of life.
Throughout the trip I gained a deeper understanding in the comprehensive considerations required for the running of the service. Without the help of local government officials, we would not be able to extend the patient coverage. Resource allocation is crucial as well since resources are limited. It was sad to witness patients being turned down for surgery after they arrive at the hospital far away from home just because they did not meet certain requirements. Some had elevated blood pressures or blood glucose levels. Some were turned down because their cataract had not matured yet and could still see a bit. Sometimes other conditions such as retina detachment and congenital disorders were discovered by the detailed screening procedures, which made them unfit for the service this time. I was made aware of the importance to allocate priority for serving patients based on their needs. Ideally everyone should be treated. No one should continue suffering when there is the technology to help alleviate it. However, in reality the resources, time and manpower may not always be able to meet the needs of everyone, especially in voluntary service programs. This is rather thought provoking for me as to what we should do to maximize the number of people benefited with our skills and knowledge.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the meaningful trip. Seeing the smiles on the patients and look of relief of their relatives reminded me of the impact we, as future doctors, can make. Yet there are a lot of issues to be addressed and improved on. The lessons I gained from this five-day experience will be unforgettable for a lifetime. I believe that they will be put into use one day in the near future to make a difference.
Photo taken at the entrance of the hospital we worked in
