The Flying Eye Hospital is providing medical trainings to health personnel in Cameroon.

The world's only eye surgical and teaching hospital with "wings", ORBIS, visiting Cameroon since October 13, has carried out numerous surgical interventions on persons suffering from different eye infections as well as provided basic medical training to health personnel on pertinent health interventions linked with ophthalmology.

One day before the Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) leaves Cameroon on October 25; Cameroon Tribune yesterday October 23 spent time with ORBIS team members based at the Yaounde Central Hospital where they carry out most of the training courses as well as surgeries. One of the ophthalmologists from ORBIS, Emile Sharifi said their mission in Cameroon has been enthusiastic with wonderful and amazing Cameroonian medical personnel eager to learn.

Emile Sharifi says since October 15, they have carried out eye surgical intervention, with at least five people operated each day from different eye problems such as complicated cataract, glaucoma, paediatric ophthalmology with focus on strabismus (when the two eyes do not align with one eye looking at the side and the other looking in the opposite direction).

The ORBIS staff explains that their goal in Cameroon is not to provide treatment but train Cameroonian medical experts. The Flying Eye team has trained eye surgeons on how to carry out glaucoma surgery which is that eye condition in which fluid pressure within the eye rises and if left untreated the patient may lose vision and even become blind.

Emile Sharifi says the surgery is done to lower the pressure in the eye by creating a drainage pathway through the eye. ORBIS has also trained health personnel on a new technique on how to remove cataract from the eye. Although cataract surgery is already taking place in Cameroon, ORBIS experts say they have taught Cameroonian doctors a different technique which is more advanced and updated allowing for a quicker healing time with better results. Cameroon health personnel have also been taught how to undergo surgery of the eye muscles which usually cause people to see double when the muscles have a problem.

The Biomedical Technician of ORBIS, Tom Monghan was also seen in a room training some five Cameroonian technicians on how to work on an anesthetic machine. The technicians were schooled on basic routine maintenance, major outlets and the different types of problems they can encounter using these machines. Another ORBIS Volunteer, Leo de Kryger was also seen training some 12 engineers on how to use ophthalmic equipment.

Leo de Kryger said ophthalmic equipment in biomedical training is forgotten and it is necessary for these engineers to have basic knowledge on how to maintain equipment such as slit lamps and microscopes so that they become self-sufficient in using them. Besides Basic Life Support training, nurses have also benefited from training programmes by the ORBIS team.