While families back home were readying for Halloween this year, two teams of dedicated volunteers spent the week spreading Operation International’s humanitarian aid and impact across Africa.

During two simultaneous but distinct mission trips, Team Dental and the newly-formed Team LA treated nearly 800 patients in Ghana and Kenya at the end of October. Their work spanned a diverse range of life-changing procedures as well as training and significant equipment donations for local staff, including supplies that will enable a mobile dental clinic for the community of Techiman. Read below for a look inside these impactful mission trips.

Team Dental

First to leave was Operation International’s Dental Team, who traveled to Ghana for the first time.

The demand for the team’s presence at Holy Family Hospital in Techiman was vast, with nearly 700 patients signing up for care during the mission. Given the intense demand, Team Dental set up two mobile units and dental chairs in a tent on the lawn of the hospital for cleanings in addition to their regular mission clinic. By the end of the trip, the team saw approximately 650 patients, with procedures ranging from simple cleanings and fluoride treatment on hundreds of children, to restorative procedures. These included root canals, extractions, cancer screenings, crowns, and rebuilding teeth to proper function. The free services provided by the team were worth more than $135,000.

“The team was well received by patients and much appreciated by all in Techiman, Ghana,” team leader Dr. Nilesh Patel said.

Like with all Operation International medical missions, the team also focused on improving hospital infrastructure and training local healthcare professionals to ensure their impact would sustain beyond their trip to Ghana.

Among the most significant was a donation of an entire operatory, or dentist working space, complete with a state-of-the-art dental chair, instruments and two mobile dental chairs. The equipment, all made possible by Team Dental’s supporters, will enable the Holy Family Hospital dental clinic to mobilize and visit local villages around Techiman to provide much-needed care to the community, Dr. Patel said, noting the value of the equipment was $15,000.

Team Dental volunteers trained the local dentists how to use the equipment, and taught new techniques in modern dentistry, including hands-on training for restorative procedures, complex root canal cases, and streamlining processes for set-up and quality care delivery.

“The dental team plans to keep collaborating with the hospital in Techiman for ongoing missions in the future,” Dr. Patel said.

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Team LA

The next team to head on a mission in late October was the newly-formed Team LA.

This group of 15 volunteers based out of Los Angeles, California, are led by Ian Otinga, RN, a Kenyan native and Operation International’s Kenya Country Coordinator. The team visited Vihiga County Hospital in Western Kenya.

As with other missions aided by Ian Otinga’s local knowledge and logistical support, the team was very successful in bringing expert care to the region. In all, they completed 136 cases in collaboration with local general and head and neck surgeons. This included 38 complex cases, including thyroidectomies, neck masses, parotid masses, and more.

One case that stood out, Mr. Otinga noted, was a 50-year-old man who came to Team LA with a massive keloid–or raised scar–formation on his face. The formation had been hindering the man’s hearing and his appearance for the last ten years until Team LA was able to help him, Mr. Otinga said.

“Every surgery went well and all patients are discharged home safely,” he added.

Team LA also offered their own training to local staff, including education for local ENT surgeons and local scrub technicians and CRNAs. The local ENT surgeon had not typically done thyroidectomies, so the training was particularly helpful for her, Mr. Otinga said.

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Thank You!

The free surgical care for underserved communities offered by Team Dental and Team LA–and all teams for our nonprofit medical missions–are only possible with the continued generosity of our supporters. To make a difference in a mission like those featured above, consider donating to Operation International here or one of our teams.

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