July 14, 1998
We care Many happy returns Members of the medical mission operate on one of their young patients. WE CARE: A group of Thai-born doctors and nurses who are now US citizens return to Thailand once a year to give free medical care to the rural poor Story and pictures by Karnjariya Sukrung Although they were still weary from jet lag, the group of doctors and nurses left the hotel early and headed to Chumphon General Hospital. There waiting for them - and the free top-class treatment they were offering - where hundreds of patients who were queueing patiently. "We are waiting for mor farang"said Charoenchit Kow, 66, who had travelled for two hours in the hope of getting an eye operation. Due to a shortage of equipment and medical staff at the hospital, Mrs Chareonchit, who had cataracts on her eyes, had been waiting for more than six months for the operation. "Had it not been for help from mor farang (the foreign doctors), I don't know how much longer I would have to wait," she said. "I'm so happy because when I can see properly I can go back to work and support my grandchildren. And also because I know I am in good hands." The mor farang she mentions are not of the blond-haired, blue-eyed variety. They are Thai-born doctors and nurses who now live work in the United States. To give something back to their homeland, they fly to Thailand once a year on a mission to provide free medical treatment to the rural poor. Their destination this year was Chumphon in southern Thailand and they worked there between July 6-10. As well as bringing their expertise the doctors and nurses also brought medicines and medical equipment from the the US. The mission delegates, mostly in their 50's, are members of the Thai Physicians Association of America (TPA) and they came from all over the US. "As a doctor working with many patients in America, I feel the urge to do something for people in my motherland too," said Dr Sanun Sangsumran, chairman of Thai Physicians Association of America (TPA). The doctors in this mobile general hospital includes opthamologists, anesthesiologists, plastic surgeons, orthopedic surgeon, obstetricians and gynaecologists, allergy experts, surgeons, internal medicine physicians, ear, nose and throat specialists, doctors specialising in rehabilitation and physiotherapy, and dermatologists. They are all volunteers. "We all feel we owe it to Thai people and the country. That we now have a stable career, a good income and a good quality of life is because we grew-up and were educated in Thailand," said Dr Somboon Sriaroon, 55, chairman of Medical Mission Committee, Midwest Lions Clubs in Chicago. "This mission is a little way of paying off our debts of gratitude, though it's still only a very small gesture." The volunteers were working on their official leave and the trip to Thailand was not much of a holiday. They worked with the Chumphon patients from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day. Such a tight schedule left them little time to visit relatives or enjoy the beaches and countryside. "Many of us only meet our relatives on the day we arrive as we want to maximise our time with the patients. We normally work up to the last minute. That leaves us little time to enjoy ourselves," said Dr Sanun, 56, who now lives in Missouri. Wanting to give their best and also influenced by the medical culture in the US, the doctors spent much time asking their patients about their symptoms and explaining the causes of the illnesses as well as talking about how they can take better care of their health. "In Thailand, many doctors spend a very short period of time with their patients. But it's necessary for the patients to understand how to take care of themselves. "They also have the right to ask and know all about their disease and treatment," said nurse Tipawan Sinthuvarawan. Apart from offering their medical expertise for free, all the doctors and nurses pay their own way: travel fare, accommodation costs and food. This time they also brought more than 50 boxes of medicine and other supplies, essential for treatment. "We realise fully the economic situation in Thailand and we don't want to add the burden to it," said Dr Somboon. All of the supplies are donations from hospitals in America, pharmaceutical companies, and from doctors and nurses themselves. "Little by little we nurses have been collecting medical supplies that the US hospitals no longer use but are still usable," said Ms Tipawan, who works as a nurse in Chicago. "In America, when the hospital changes equipment, for example, from brand A to B, they will dump all the previous brands even though it is still usable." Such medical equipment included for example, an ultrasound machine, artificial eye lenses, disposable gloves, and operation tools. The doctors brought many medicine samples sent to them from pharmaceutical firms. Since the mission included the Sightfirst programme, an initiative of Lions Clubs International, the Clubs helped fund some of the 100 artificial lenses needed in cataract operations. Each lense costs $125 (5,250) and afterwards patients require eye drops which cost $64 (2,700 baht) for a small bottle. "Although we are working even harder during the mission than in our normal work in the US, we are happy," said Dr Voraphot Sathissarat, a specialist in allergies, from Chicago. After the mission ended, all the unused medicine and medical supplies were donated to Chumphon General Hospital. Apart from offering a mobile service for rural Thai hospitals, members of the TPA also regularly hold seminars in Thailand to share the latest medical advances with doctors in Thailand. This year, the seminar was held at Prince Songkhla University, in Had Yai. Members who cannot join the mobile hospital mission often do their bit by giving donations. This year, the association collected about 100,000 baht to give away as education grants and equipment for schools in Chumphon. Dr Somboon said Kajit Habanananda, president of the Lion's Club International was crucial in making the mission to Chumphon possible. While the Medical Mission Committee in the US collects medical supplies and recruits volunteers, it is the Lions Clubs Thailand which are responsible for seeking the site of the mission. The Chumphon trip is association's third free medical mission. The first, in 1996, went to a Roi Et hospital, with a mission to Sa Kaew the following year. More than 2,000 patients visited each of the hospitals for treatment. "Each time more and more doctors and nurses expressed a wish to get involved," said Dr Sanun. "Given the success of the last three years, the Medical Mission Committee is committed to sending an annual mission to Thailand." The association has also recruited young members to ensure the project is sustainable. Born and bred in the US, Dr Hope (Ratchawan) Yongsmith, 25, is following in the footsteps of her mother Dr Nilawan Yongsmith, a doctor specialising in physical rehabilitation and a committed volunteer in the team. One day after finishing her training at the medical institute at Boston University, the young opthamologist flew to Thailand. "It's sad to see there aren't enough doctors to care for the huge amount of patients, plus there is a shortage of advanced technology," said Dr Hope. "Some cases should have come into a doctor's hands five years ago, but they had not had the chance." "I'd love to come back again to help," the young doctor said. For American-Thai Dr Charles Pisatesuralit, 32, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the mission also gives him an opportunity to get to know the way of life of his ancestors. "It's very challenging for me. The atmosphere is quite difficult to work in and there's so much to learn. I'd love to come back again." By the time their Chumphon mission ended last Friday, nearly 100 patients, including Mrs Charoenchit, could see more clearly after having had eye operations, and more than 3,000 other patients, with a wide variety of illnesses, had received treatment. The Chumphon Hospital was also better stocked with more medical equipment and medicines. For the mission volunteers, it was back to the US - to start collecting medical equipment and medicines for next year's trip. "We're fortunate to have a life of security," said Dr Sanun. "It is our duty to give something back to the less fortunate in our motherland."		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