A team of surgeons from the United States (US) visited Jamaica recently to carry out 15 life-changing surgeries on people who have been waiting a long time to have these procedures done.

The surgeries were carried out by surgeons from the Northwell Health System, based in New York.

This was not the first time that at least two of the doctors were coming to Jamaica on a health mission, but this time their engagement with patients took place under the Northwell banner.

According to Dr Monique De Four Jones, a representative of Northwell Health, “We are happy to return through Northwell’s Global Health team this time. We are doing the surgeries for patients down at Victoria Jubilee Hospital and also other institutions that had backlog of their need for surgery. We came out to supply services as well as resources for the patients that are in need of care”.

The team came into Jamaica on Sunday, September 15 and started doing surgeries the following day.

“We have been doing hysterectomies and laparoscopic work by Dr Michael Nimaroff. As far as the gynaecology team is concerned, there is a total of four of us and two anaesthesiologists. What makes it so nice is that we built a nice rapport when we came the first time with the doctors, and we were able to keep the sustainability going.

“My understanding is that there is a significant backlog — first from COVID-19 and then from Hurricane Beryl. The people were prepared correctly for their needed surgery, and thanks to the team here at the University Hospital of the West Indies that was kind enough to provide the surgical theatre. Working in different spaces sometimes can be a challenge but thank goodness there was no challenge for us,” Dr De Four Jones said.

She pointed out that some of the patients had been experiencing severe and ongoing menstrual and abdominal pain as well as constipation. She added that some of them had been struggling to urinate while others became anaemic after many years of bleeding due to fibroids.

“Our mission will change their quality of life. Some patients have been waiting for surgeries for even past just a few months but they have been bleeding from like the last two to three years and waiting to have things done. We are happy to be able to do this.

“One of the patients we interviewed in preparation for surgery said it was her birthday and said this was a birthday gift, and I found that very touching. In her case, she needed a hysterectomy to stop her ongoing bleeding that she has been having for many years,” added Dr De Four Jones as she noted that the work carried out by the medical team was done at no cost to the patients.

Dr De Four Jones said one main aim of the team from the US was to show local doctors new techniques they can use and pass on.

She argued that when knowledge is shared in this way, things work out in the best interest of the patients as they are able to go home on the same day after doing surgery, once everything is okay.

“They don’t have to stay at the hospital for two or three days,” she said.

In the meantime, Dr Nimaroff told the Jamaica Observer that it was fun working with the Jamaican doctors, nurses and medical students.

He said he felt a sense of pride in knowing the health mission directly turns people’s lives around.

“It really changes their lives because so many of the symptoms they have do really affect every day functioning. It really does change their lives once they have their problem treated and removed. We mostly deal with benign disease, and typically not cancer, but it still has a tremendous effect on their day-to-day life. It really is a privilege for us to help.

“We have another team also coming soon to do general surgical procedures; we hope to continue to come and participate. What is in it for us? It honestly is hard to explain but it is just an absolutely great experience for the team to come and do this type of work. It is a good break in our typical day-to-day work we do at home. It is a great feeling and a great experience,” said Dr Nimaroff.

Meanwhile, Dr Carl Bruce, medical chief of staff at the University Hospital of the West Indies, told the Observer that Dr De Four Jones and Dr Nimaroff were part of a previous successful medical mission to Jamaica.

“You will recall that some time ago the Ministry of Health had a programme called Code Care which was used to treat patients who are on the waiting list for procedures but were delayed. There were several surgeons and hospitals that took the initiative to help. The University Hospital partnered with Northwell Health and, in particular, Dr Sandra Lindsay — our proud Jamaican nurse who was the recipient of the presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joseph Biden.

“We did our first cohort of patients from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital and these were patients who needed surgery, whether because of heavy bleeding or pain from uterine fibroids, et cetera. It was very successful, and even though the programme Code Care no longer existed, the University Hospital wanted to continue to help so we partnered with the Victoria Jubilee Hospital and the Kingston Public Hospital,” explained Dr Bruce.

“It is of tremendous help to these patients, and they got their surgery much earlier than if they were staying on the waiting list. The University Hospital of the West Indies in an international hospital and so we always want to have collaboration with our partners worldwide and we want to exchange ideas. When you have these collaborations you develop certain processes and so we are excited to continue this programme, and we hope that this is something that will continue in the future,” added Dr Bruce.