A Tayside surgeon who took on a mercy mission to earthquake-hit Nepal is planning to expand on the trip’s legacy.
Sean Laverick was part of a five-strong UK team which recently spent 10 days operating and tutoring in the Ghurka heartland of Dharan.
Now back at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital, the head of Maxillofacial surgery has ambitious plans to ensure Nepal enjoys a long-term legacy from the visit.
Previously, his own charity Facefacts brought two surgeons to Scotland from war-torn Baghdad and now Sean is proposing to fund 50% of the bill to allow surgeon Dr Mehul Jaisani to enhance his skills and pass them on to colleagues in Nepal.
He will spend a year in the UK, including six months at Ninewells before taking his new-found skills back to Dharan.
“The development programme is based at an old British hospital in the east of the country which was handed over to the Nepalese in the late 90s,” said Sean.
“The area wasn’t as badly affected by the earthquake as some other regions but during our stay we carried out procedures ranging from trauma to routine infections and oral cancer operations.
“The team, drawn from across the UK, also conducted two workshops covering the management of trauma and head and neck cancer and we are committed to a five year programme.”
Surgeon Sean Laverick (right) flanked by local surgeons Shakir Mustatfa and Mehul JaisanianThe initial venture was set-up by the Norman Rowe International Education Foundation, with support from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
“The Indian sub continent has a particular problem with oral cancer and we want to develop a sustainable facial surgery teaching programme,” explained Blairgowrie-based Sean.
He said his trip Nepal proved to be less frightening than a 2009 Iraqi expedition.
“That was going into what was effectively still a warzone, with the night skies lit-up like Bonfire Night.
“You could see bullet holes high on the operating theatre walls and you were warned to keep your head down. In comparison, Dharan was much more relaxed.”
During their stay in Nepal, word reached the surgical team that Prince Harry was visiting, however the Royal group had left Kathmandu to go in-country before the medics returned to the capital.
“Prince Harry’s visit has certainly helped raise the profile of Nepal again a year on from the earthquake and that is to be welcomed. It is a desperately poor country,” Sean said.
“The Prince will have got a flavour of the rebuilding work going on.”
He added: “We plan to send a five-man team tackling cleft palate surgery in November and part of our long-term strategy is to ensure that there are more trained personnel on the ground so they are better prepared if another major earthquake was to hit Nepal in years to come.
“That would be our legacy and we are working up our fundraising plans. We have enjoyed very generous support from the public in the past and hopefully that will continue.”
Donations can be made to Sean’s Facefacts charity via the Maxillofacial department, Level 5, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD2 1UB.
