Israeli orthopedist teaches African doctors new deformity treatments

Fifty doctors from Ethiopia and surrounding countries participated in this four-day course in The Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa.

By YVETTE J. DEANE
Updated: NOVEMBER 21, 2018 02:47
Professor Mark Eidelman, 2nd from left, director of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital with Africian colleagues at The Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa. (photo credit: RAMBAM MEDICAL CENTER)
Professor Mark Eidelman, 2nd from left, director of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital with Africian colleagues at The Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa.
(photo credit: RAMBAM MEDICAL CENTER)
Prof. Mark Eidelman, the director of the Pediatric Orthopedics Unit at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital in Haifa, led a four-day training for 50 doctors from Ethiopia and surrounding countries to treat pediatric orthopedic deformities.
“There are many people in Ethiopia with problems that are taken care of in other countries at much earlier stages,” explained Prof. Eidelman. “In Israel, like in many other Western countries, they know how to diagnose problems on time and treat them in a timely manner. This helps these patients to enjoy a higher quality of life and prevent their conditions from deteriorating.
“The institutions in Baltimore are considered the best in the field in terms of training and teaching, and the city hosts the leading conferences and courses,” Eidelman continued.”Unfortunately, most of these doctors don’t manage to secure entry visas for the US, and as such, are denied access to this information. This is the reason why we decided to bring the training to them.”
Two doctors from the US joined him on his mission, one of his teachers, Prof. John Herzenberg, a senior doctor in the field from Baltimore, and Prof. Christof Radler, also renowned in the field.
The course, held at Addis Ababa’s Black Lion Hospital, was sponsored by CURE International, a nonprofit dedicated to providing medical care to children suffering from orthopedic and neurological conditions, along with POSNA, the Pediatric Orthopedics Society of North America.