Thanks to excellent coordination between both surgical teams, we achieved a new record: 56 surgical operations completed during the mission. The teams were highly motivated, with one working until midnight on the second day to ensure everyone possible was treated.
As usual, we left Antananarivo at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, 1st July. Due to the poor condition of the road between Antsirabe and Ambatolahy, we did not arrive in Miandrivazo until 10 p.m. and reached Ambatolahy the following morning at 8 a.m. Patients were already waiting. After setting up, we began with a short service led by the village evangelist and explained the rules and schedule for the mission. The CSB2 staff had done an excellent job preparing the space in advance.
Collaboration with CSB2 remains strong, particularly in post-operative care. This consistent professionalism plays a vital role in the success of each mission. Fifteen doctors took part, delivering surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, ultrasound, and dentistry. Surgery was divided into general and local anaesthesia blocks, with most cases involving appendectomies, hernia repairs in both children and adults, and hydroceles. Patients ranged in age from one to 76 for surgery, and from four months to 85 for consultations.
Common conditions treated included STIs, gastritis, joint pain, haemorrhoids, splenomegaly, hypertension, otitis, pruritus, back pain, cough, dermatitis, diarrhoea, asthenia, and tuberculosis.
Story 1: Emergency Surgery for Peritonitis
A serious case involved a 16-year-old boy with peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix. The infection had spread, and part of the intestine had fused to the surrounding muscle. The surgeon chose not to remove the affected section to avoid further complications. Instead, strong antibiotics were administered and a drain was inserted to help clear the infection. The surgery was complex but handled carefully by the team.
Story 2: A Heartbreaking Loss
Tragically, a 15-year-old boy died following a routine hernia operation under spinal anaesthesia. The operation went smoothly, and the boy remained conscious throughout. However, he experienced a seizure in the post-operative room. Medication was given, and he appeared stable.
Four hours later, our anaesthesiologist returned to check on another patient and found that the boy was no longer breathing. His family had not noticed, and only after being questioned did they mention he had suffered another seizure two hours earlier but had not informed the team. Resuscitation was attempted for over an hour, but there was no response. During the pre-operative assessment, the family had said he was in good health. It was only after the incident that another family member admitted he had a history of epilepsy. The entire team was devastated, but knowing how many people still needed treatment, we continued.
Ophthalmology patients were commonly treated for myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. A total of 95 patients received ultrasound scans, mostly obstetric, abdominal, cervical, and thyroid. Many are still waiting to be seen, as our new sonographer is still adjusting to the equipment. In dentistry, 71 tooth extractions were completed. This is often one of the most difficult tasks due to the hardness of patients’ teeth, which makes removal time-consuming.
Despite the challenges, the mission was successful. Many people were still waiting for treatment when we left, and both local hospital staff and villagers have asked if we can return in November.
On Friday, the surgeons completed 10 more operations before we departed at midday. We arrived in Antananarivo the following afternoon. One surgeon required IV treatment in Antsirabe due to exhaustion after travelling directly from Tamatave, where he had performed another operation the day before.
We hope to return to Ambatolahy later this year. The local need remains high, and the Ministry of Health is expected to join us for on-the-ground monitoring and evaluation before the partnership agreement is renewed in January 2026. Ambatolahy remains our only land-based mission without limits on patient numbers or weight, and the demand continues to grow.
Statistics – Total 595
