Marolambo is on the Nosivolo river and was inaccessible by road until 2006. The airstrip built by MAF is the main way to reach the area.
Our team accompanied by a pastor from MAF left Ivato on May 8th around 10 a.m. and we arrived in Marolambo at 11 a.m.
Just a few metres near the airstrip, on the road to the village, one of our doctors Dr Suzy fell and dislocated her ankle. Sadly she could no longer walk and we had to use a motorbike to take her to the village.
After lunch, we met with hospital officials, followed by a formal visit to the town hall and to the District Chief of Marolambo. Once the visits were completed, the team began to install and sterilize all the equipment in the surgical room. Many people were waiting for us.
The MMS began as usual with a service of blessing. On this occasion it was led by the MAF Pastor and the Pastor of the Protestant church of Marolambo, followed by speeches by the person in charge of the CHRD hospital and the local commune leader.
Five staff from the hospital joined with our MMS team. The surgeons did parallel surgery in one operating room due to the number of patients.
The electricity in Marolambo only works from 1pm to 10pm and we had to start the generator before we could set up each morning.
Due to the number of people seeking treatment we had to work without breaks just to keep up. Most days we could not even find enough time for lunch! On the final day we worked late until we finally had to uninstall and pack up the equipment.
A middle-aged man with a hydrocele came to see the team. A nurse in his village had said he could treat this disease and the man and his family trusted him. Sadly the treatment did not go well. A few weeks later, his health condition worsened and the disease spread so that he could no longer walk or even stand up. The operation was a little delicate but thank God, the team did very well, the man is saved, but still has a lot of treatment and recuperation ahead of him.
A 24-year-old man came to see our team; he could no longer walk but was transported by his brothers. He had a problem with his left leg, and they wanted help to be evacuated to Tana. Sadly after consultations with our doctors and surgeons, it was agreed that it was not appropriate either to evacuate or operate because his leg, almost half of it, was already gone. The cause of his illness is not known. Surgeons explained that his cancer was already so far advanced that it would serve no purpose to take any more risks or cause further pain and discomfort. Very sad.
Every day, we see that the passage of cyclones in the eastern part of Madagascar has had a very great impact for the people of this region, life has become very expensive. We no longer even see vegetables at the markets.
MMS Marolambo was one of the busiest and most successful this year, with 795 people seen and treated
STATISTICS
Medical consultation 337; Ultrasound 91; Dental extraction 227;
Surgery: major 23, minor 11, Ophthalmology 106
