Two German anesthetists and four plastic surgeons from Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom went on a humanitarian mission recently to provide surgery to impoverished villagers in Bangladesh who were suffering from physical disfigurement resulting from serious burns and other ailments. An initiative by the Women for Women (WfW) movement, the mission was led by Dr. Constance Neuhann-Lorenz, Managing Director of WfW.

One of the most touching cases involved a 16-year old young woman named Rozina, who suffered horrific facial burns. According to Rozina’s mother, she fell into the fire when she was eight months old. However, the assessment from the surgeons suggested that her condition could have resulted from a violent attack. The team of surgeonsopened Rozina’s mouth opening so that she could eat, and corrected her eyelids so that she would be able to close them.

Operating from a floating hospital on the river, named the Emirates Friendship Hospital, in Chilmari, Bangladesh, the doctors helped 55 patients comprising children, women and men by performing 54 operations over seven days. B. Braun Medical Industries Sdn. Bhd. [Company registration number: 197401001922 (19051-H)] supported the WfW mission by donating medical supplies such as Prontosan wound sprays, Sterican needles, surgical blades and sutures.