Physicians for Peace Volunteers Launch Medical Mission to Eritrea, Africa

NORFOLK, VA (09/04/2008)(readMedia)-- A team of Physicians for Peace volunteer medical professionals will be in Eritrea, Africa from Sept. 5-21, conducting reconstructive surgeries for adults and young patients for foot deformities brought about by diseases such as polio, or due to accident. The team will also evaluate and screen new patients for future visits by Physicians for Peace volunteers. In addition, pursuant to the mission of Physicians for Peace, team members will train in-country medical professionals in the latest podiatric surgical techniques, helping to expand care and healing in this impoverished African nation.

Team members are:

• Christopher Walters, MD - Centerville, VA

• Grant L Beck, MD - Clifton, VA

• Annie Xu, MD - Arlington, VA

• Margaret A. Halstead, RN - Clarksville, MD

This mission is a continuation of the Physicians for Peace's well-established medical education and clinical care program in Eritrea. The team leader, Dr. Chris Walters, has participated in many of the previous surgical missions to Eritrea. The current mission will conduct also follow-up on patients that were evaluated and screened during a March 2008 surgical mission, under the leadership of Physicians for Peace volunteer Dr. Keith Goss, of Shipwreck, NM.

"These surgical missions are part of continuing efforts to train Eritrean surgeons in advanced surgical techniques and develop indigenous medical capacity in Eritrea and Sub-Saharan Africa," noted Physicians for Peace Director of Medical Programs Jaya Tiwari. "These surgical missions also enhance our ongoing Surgical Residency Program at the Orotta School of Medicine, which was launched in January 2008 in partnership with The George Washington University Medical Center and the Eritrean Ministry of Health."

ABOUT PHYSICIANS FOR PEACE

Physicians for Peace is an international private voluntary organization that mobilizes healthcare educators to assist developing nations with unmet medical needs and scarce resources. Through effective, hands-on medical education and training, clinical care and donated medical supplies, Physicians for Peace creates long-term, sustainable, replicable, and evidence-based projects to help partner nations build medical capability and capacity to help themselves. Volunteers for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization have conducted medical missions in more than 50 countries. More information is available at www.physiciansforpeace.org.

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