Dr Francis Nathan and Ms Merlin Nathan, traveled to Palestine in November 2022 and January 2023

Assistance in Palestine by Dr Francis Nathan, Ophthalmic Advisor to PCRF (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund), and support for a Gazan junior eye doctor

Francis, a long term AFOPA member and provider of volunteer surgical services for Palestinians, undertook trips to Palestine in November 2022 and January 2023. He conducted eye surgery and assessed the needs of five ophthalmic centres, including a visit to Gaza, his first since 2004.

Francis has also recruited a new Adelaide eye surgeon, Dr Jagjit (Jolly) Gilhotra, who attended during the November 2022 trip, conducting vitreo-retinal surgery at the Hugo Chavez Eye Hospital in Turmus Aya in the West Bank. Dr Gilhotra will be returning for a surgical trip in December 2023.

In addition to AFOPA’s financial assistance for travel to provide services in Palestine, with AFOPA and APPEH (Australian -Palestinian Partnerships in Education and Health) support, ophthalmic equipment was donated to Rafidia Hospital, Nablus, comprising: 

• Portable slit lamp microscope for examining the front portion of the eye

• Indirect ophthalmoscope for examining the internal eye

• Portable tonometer to measure eye pressures.

Significant sponsorship by an AFOPA member is also supporting a junior eye doctor, Dr Mohammed AlManassra from Gaza, to complete a surgical training fellowship in oculoplastics in India. He is currently at the LV Prasad Eye Centre in Hyderabad, India and will finish in October 2024. Francis met Dr AlManassra in January 2023 when Francis and his partner, Occupational Therapist and long term AFOPA member, Merlin Nathan visited Gaza (see below report). Dr AlManassra approached Francis for help regarding the approval of the Gaza Ophthalmic Hospital to sponsor his post-graduate training in oculoplastic surgery. This essential specialty covers eyelid, orbital (eye socket), and lacrimal (tear drainage system) surgery, including tumours of the eyelids and orbits. There is currently no resident oculoplastic surgeon in Gaza. Dr AlManassra will be training for 15 months and has committed to return to Gaza to help his people.

Assistance in Palestine by Merlin Nathan, Occupational Therapist and Allied Health Advisor to PCRF 

The focus of Merlin’s visit in her role as Occupational Therapist in visits along with Francis to Palestine in November 2022 and January 2023 was a survey of needs of allied health, primarily occupational therapy and physiotherapy, though in some venues the Medical Director indicated nursing staff requirements needed to be assessed.

The centres and hospitals in Hebron and Gaza had received several sets of state-of-the-art equipment which required training regarding their function and use. Staff were keen to have more specific training with a focus on a variety of diagnoses and treatment programs. Staff were also open to several ideas that would improve their services in terms of better use of their environment and resources.