Dembi Dollo mission

The people who walked for years in darkness have seen a great light!(Isa 9.2)

Dembi Dollo Eye mission, October 2011.

Fighting Blindness In Ethiopia has been going back and forth to Ethiopia since 2006 and has given sight for over 1500 people. The team has been travelling all over the country East, West, North and South, giving eye treatments to the rural Ethiopian population who have no  chance of getting the kind of eye treatment that FBIE can provide. 

FBIE has joined another charity organisation which is known as the Fiona Dolan Fund. This charity was established in memory of Dr Fiona Dolan who during eye specialist training was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died. Her husband and family have started a charity in her memory, seconding trainee junior doctors to go to Ethiopia with the FBIE team. As the Fiona Dolan Fund trustees want to establish some permanent service, FBIE has led them to a place called Dembi Dollo in the south-west of Ethiopia where there is no eye service apart from a small clinic run by a Catholic mission.

We have spoken with the government general hospital who has promised us, if they will be supplied with necessary eye instruments and examination kit, they will employee an eye doctor and trained ophthalmic nurse plus allocate a special eye unit building in memory of Fiona Dolan. Therefore both FBIE and the Fiona Dolan Fund went to Dembi Dollo from October 20 to 28^th and furnished the Fiona Dolan Memorial Clinic with operating microscope, slit lamp, ophthalmoscope, refraction kit, ton meter and one anaesthetic machine, plus three cataract sets. As the work of the clinic progresses, the Fiona Dolan charity will be equipped with more supplies of implants and sutures and other necessary supplies.

This team operated 222 patients in January and in our October trip operated another 108 patients who have received their sight. Therefore the people of this area who have been living in darkness for so long have now seen great light, particularly the poor farmer who could not afford to get eye treatment. This time one man travelled 800 KM to get treatment. When they cannot afford the cost,  they will do anything to gain their sight.

The Fiona Dolan Memorial Clinic has established permanent hope and service for these people, for rich and poor alike. A real great light has come for them after long time.

FBIE is now preparing for another trip in January to the north part of the country where we have been told there is severe eye disease.

FBIE would like to say heartfelt thanks to all the people of Scotland for their generosity in enabling us in all we have done so far.