Delivery of Surgical Microscopes to Ethiopia

A unique partnership between Airlink partners is bringing relief to hundreds of children awaiting surgeries for chronic ear diseases in Adama, Ethiopia. 
 
As part of its mission to mobilize the aviation industry to ensure assistance reaches communities impacted by disasters and other humanitarian crises, 
Airlink coordinated transportation of two decommissioned surgical microscopes weighing a combined 500 pounds. The specialty microscopes were donated by the Greater Philadelphia branch of Healing the Children (HTC) through the Afya Foundation to doctors at the Adama Hospital and Medical College. A Boeing 777 from Everett, Wash. being delivered to its new owner Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa carried the equipment last month. 
 
“We areextremely grateful to Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing for offering to transport aid on their aircraft delivery flight,” said Steven J. Smith, President and CEO of Airlink. “Their support of this mission will improve lives and is a prime example of how the generosity of the aviation industry leads to people and communities around the world receiving assistance that would otherwise be out of reach.”

“Boeing is pleased to play a role in these efforts and continues to look for opportunities to collaborate with our airline customers and humanitarian organizations to help communities throughout the world,” said John Blazey, vice president of Boeing Global Engagement.

According to Dr. Glenn Isaacson, HTC volunteer and professor of otolaryngology at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, there is ahigh prevalence of hearing loss and chronic ear disease among children in Ethiopia. “As recently as 10 years ago there were only a dozen ear, nose, and throat surgeons in the country of 100 million people,” said Isaacson. “Through our collaboration with the otolaryngology residency at Addis Ababa University there are now more than 50 practicing otolaryngologists in the country. As these bright, well-trained surgeons dispersed to regional hospitals, they found most operating rooms lacked any of the instruments necessary to do corrective ear surgery.” 

The arrival of the microscopes means doctors at the Adama Hospital and Medical College can alleviate the backlog of hundreds of children identified with infected ears and hearing loss who have long gone untreated.

This shipment represents the eighth time Airlink partnered with the Afya Foundation, which recovers surplus medical supplies, hospital equipment and humanitarian provisions from healthcare, corporate, and private communities like HTC to support health initiatives around the world. 

 
“The long-standing relationship and resource sharing between Afya and Airlink is an example of what is possible when organizations work together to support each other’s missions,” said Sarah Schuyler, chief operating officer, the Afya Foundation. “Through this remarkable collaboration, we have created access to surgical care in Ethiopia. We’re thankful for this life-saving partnership.”
 
In addition to its response to medical needs in Ethiopia, Airlink transported 834 relief personnel and 24,000 pounds of emergency supplies for some of its 80 relief organization partnersresponding to hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes and other crises in 2018.