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20 June 2008
Sydney Hospital surgeon visits Burma in wake of cyclone Nargis
Sydney Hospital hand surgeon Associate Professor Bruce Conolly has been
granted access to Burma in the wake of last month’s devastating cyclone Nargis,
which left more than 30,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands in need of
life-saving aid.
A/Prof Conolly has been regularly visiting Burma for the last 10 years, working
at hospitals in Yangon, offering his expertise to assist local doctors, and
delivering desperately needed medical supplies.
While he did not gain access to the worst hit area of the country – the
Irrawaddy Delta region – during his most recent visit, A/Prof Conolly said he
did treat patients seriously injured in the disaster.
“Access to the Delta was extremely limited, but local medical teams of doctors
and nurses were starting to make their way in when I arrived in Yangon,” A/Prof
Conolly said.
“About 12 patients were helicoptered to Yangon from the worst hit areas and I
treated a number of soft tissue injuries, including one case of gangrene of the
leg.”
As well as providing clinical assistance, A/Prof Conolly delivered medicine,
dressings, instruments and sutures to Yangon General Hospital and the Muslim
Free Hospital, also in Yangon.
He said morale among hospital staff was good, even though the destruction caused
by the cyclone was evident everywhere.
“In Yangon the huge winds had taken roofs off hospitals as well as homes.
Electricity and telecommunications in what were already poorly serviced areas
had been smashed and destroyed, trees had been uprooted – there was damage
absolutely everywhere,” A/Prof Conolly said.
“Inside the hospital that had sustained roof damage water was seeping in and
damaging instruments and supplies, but despite this the staff remained
determined to help those in the worst affected regions.”
A/Prof Conolly said the health challenges facing the Burmese people were great
and he is planning to return to the country in the coming weeks with a team of
surgeons and specialists.
“The priority at the moment is getting enough primary first aid care to the
people so infection can be prevented as much as possible,” he said.
“There is a group of Australian surgeons on standby ready to go, but the
focus up until now has been on ensuring public health issues are addressed –
trying to prevent infection and to limit the spread of disease through
contaminated water supplies.”
Support for A/Prof Conolly’s trip to Burma was provided by the Rotary Club of
Mosman.
Media Enquiries: Samantha Norris, 9382 8226 or 0421 618 793
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