The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital (ORBIS FEH) is a DC-10 aircraft converted into a fully equipped eye hospital. ORBIS FEH recently came to Indonesia and was supported by ALCON in collaboration with PERDAMI (Persatuan Specialis Mata Indonesia) or IOA (Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association).
A four week program was organized and occurred in two Indonesian cities: Jakarta and Surabaya. The program lasted from 28 June until the 09 July 2010. The local host hospitals for the ORBIS FEH programs were RS Cipto Mangunkusumo in Jakarta and RS Sutomo in Surabaya.
The idea of inviting the ORBIS FLYING HOSPITAL to come to Indonesia originated with PP PERDAMI. They began planning, taking measures, and clearing the way for the ORBIS FEH project arrival back in 2008. The opening ceremony of ORBIS FEH occurred on the 15 June 2010 and was officiated by the Indonesian Minister of Health Dr. Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, MPH, PhD.
ORBIS International, Inc is an NGO international humanitarian eye health organization with its headquarters in New York City, USA. It has already visited hundreds of cities in more than 75 countries in the world since 1982. Vision Orbis International is about saving sight worldwide and preventing blindness. The mission of ORBIS is “saving sight and transform lives” in developing countries.
Why developing countries? Worldwide around 45 million people experience blindness. 90 per cent of them are people from developing countries where eye health service is often difficult to attain. Even more, according to WHO (World Health Organization), one third of the world’s population who are blind live in Southeast Asia. (including Indonesia). The number of blind people in Indonesia is the highest in Southeast Asia, that is, 1.5% whereas actually 80 per cent of the blindness is avoidable through prevention or treatment with a medical service or eye surgery.
The activity of ORBIS FEH represents international teamwork and cooperation and forms a certain honor, respect, and benefit for Indonesia. This is the second time ORBIS FEH has visited Indonesia. The first visit was in 1982. Indeed one of the opportunities and valuable experience of the coming of ORBIS FEH arises from the volunteer faculty (VF) which consists of international world class ophthalmologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and biomedical technicians. This is supplemented with world class, comprehensive, and modern up-to-date technically advanced equipment. A large part of the materials used in the ORBIS project were contributed by ALCON.
The ORBIS FEH team consists of around 20 staff, lead by Dr. Hunter Cherwek as director, and helped by a team of ophthalmologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, biomedical engineering, administrative staff, communication staff, and flight mechanics.
Each ORBIS FEH program gives free eye service for patients who have been previously selected. The ORBIS eye service program simultaneously transfers knowledge and skills in the procedures and handling of diseases which threaten visual acuity with hands-on training, lectures, workshops, and symposiums through accompanying international faculty instructors and speakers.
Priority teaching case patients in the ORBIS project cover the patients with the more severe eye problems such as that threatening blindness in both eyes, or patients who are relatively young. Ophthalmologists also can practice their eye surgery skills through EYSI, the eye simulator in the ORBIS FEH aircraft.
In the first week in Jakarta, the participating faculty was: Dr. Edward Wilson (pediatric cataract and strabismus), Dr. James Brandt (glaucoma), Dr. Anthony Aldave from the USA (cornea) and Dr. Victor Chong from England (medical retina).
The second week had a faculty of Dr. Stephen Lane (advanced phacoemulsification), Dr. Steve Charles (surgical retina), Dr. Brian Marr (ocular oncology), Dr. Robert Kersten (oculoplastic), and Dr. Roger Harrie (ocular ultrasonography), all from the United States.
The first week in Surabaya comprised a faculty all from the United States. This included Dr. Lois Hart (medical retina), Dr. Scott Olisky (pediatric ophthalmology), Dr. Lee Alward (glaucoma), and Dr. Roberto Pineda (cornea).
The second week in Surabaya had a faculty of Dr. Julia Haller (ROP), Dr. Michael Grant (oncology), Dr. Shanath Merbs (oculoplastic), and Dr. Brian Leonard (surgical retina).
At the end of each week, in both Jakarta and Surabaya, a Medical Symposium was organized with faculty speakers and attended by large numbers of ophthalmologists. Several ophthalmologists and fellow faculty speakers participated in these programs.
There were two locations used in Jakarta for the ORBIS program. One was where the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital aircraft was parked at Halim Airport, and the other was at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Indonesia / Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. The ORBIS program involved over 200 ophthalmologists from the Jakarta and outer areas from several institutions and hospitals, together with the RSUD (local general hospitals) and the Indonesian National Army Hospital (RS TNI) from various areas of western Indonesia. Inside the ORBIS FEH aircraft and at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, 10-15 eye operations and medical procedures were done every day for a period of 8 working days from the selected 200 patients from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.
The same ORBIS program was conducted in Surabaya at two locations. One was in the ORBIS FEH aircraft at the military airfield at Djuanda, and the other was at the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Airlanga / Sutomo Hospital. The ophthalmologists that were involved in the ORBIS FEH program in Surabaya originated from east Java and other cities in the eastern area of Indonesia. In both cities, large numbers of local eye care nurses and eye technicians also participated in the ORBIS FEH for further nursing and biomedical engineering experience.
The type of operations conducted in the ORBIS FEH program varied. One example was the operation of Descemet’s Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK). In the United States, this DSAEK corneal transplant would cost up to USD 30,000, but all the several patients in the ORBIS FEH program received the operation free of charge.
Another opportunity occurred at Jakarta. Dr. Aldave brought with him several donor eyes. Many corneas were used and the remaining donor corneas were given to PERDAMI, the Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association.
Many ophthalmology residents from both institutions in Jakarta and Surabaya were involved in the ORBIS FEH program. They felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to obtain valuable experience and hands-on training. The chance to meet, and directly exchange ideas with international eye experts such as ORBIS, was an experience to be treasured. The exposure to the high international standards increased their knowledge exponentially.
Besides helping people with their eyes and adding knowledge and skills to the eye care practitioners and assistants, the coming of ORBIS FEH to Indonesia is hoped to have increased the empathy, awareness, and knowledge of the special eye health problems that many people face in Indonesia. It is important that we think about them and try to improve their quality of life.
The ORBIS FEH project also was a showcase to demonstrate to the rest of the world that Indonesia cares about the health and wealth of its citizens. The ORBIS FEH visit raised public awareness about eye health problems and proved to the world that Indonesia has the determination, capability, and dedication to join together and successfully carry out an international event with trust, cooperation, and confidence.
Dr. Gitalisa Andayani Adriono
Humas PP Perdami (HP 0811131660)
