Aid in Action
Hospital in Djibouti Receives Advanced Surgical Equipment
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Photo: US Embassy, Djibouti
USAID Representative in Djibouti Stephanie Funk (2nd from left) with CJTF-HOA officers during the handing over of surgical equipment to surgeons at Peltier Hospital in Djibouti.
The Embassy of the United States of America, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) have donated laparoscopic surgical equipment and two operating tables to Peltier Hospital. The equipment is valued at $61,500 (10,885,500 DJF), and will enable the hospital to perform minimally invasive abdominal surgery for the first time while also lowering costs and reducing the need to travel beyond Djibouti for this treatment.
Stephanie Funk, USAID Representative in Djibouti, handed over the equipment in a ceremony at the hospital complex on October 10. The hospital, through the Ministry of Health, accepted the equipment.
Using a telescopic video system, surgeons will now be able to perform minimally invasive abdominal surgery with drastically reduced scarring and decreased recovery and hospitalization time (from six days to two). The technique minimizes pain and discomfort and reduces the risk of infection and complications associated with traditional abdominal surgery.
Doctors from CJTF-HOA will also provide training and will certify the surgeons at Peltier in the proper use, care, and maintenance of the equipment.
USAID has strengthened the healthcare sector in Djibouti by providing over $13 million (2.3 billion DJF) since 2003. CJTF-HOA has also partnered in this effort by providing emergency medicine training, donations of medical supplies, and medical and veterinarian relief missions throughout Djibouti.