Our SocietyThat positive human development and networking are interlinked may be a universal truth. One of the missions of our Society -- the Hakim Workneh & Melaku Beyan Society -- is to develop and maintain a network of Ethiopian medical practitioners residing in North America. As our network grows, we will be able to do much more collectively than any one of us are able to do alone. And together we are able to better explore avenues to effectively contribute towards improving Ethiopia's health care system and its medical institutions. The latter is our larger mission.
Currently, our society consists of old medical school classmates and teachers who have come together to advance the spirit of two pioneering Ethiopian doctors: Hakim Workneh and Melaku Beyan. Our organization had its inaugural meeting in California in July 2010, and so far we have formulated our mission statement and established a website to focus our work and inform others of our existence. As we carry our work forward, grounded in mutual respect, we hope our contributions will gain momentum and add in small ways and increments towards positive international development. Many may continue to lament the brain drain among professionals from developing countries. Although these concerns ring true, we wish to turn back some of this tide by using our growing and robust network of relationships to reverse inequality in the delivery of health care that the emigration of medical professionals has caused for our country. As medical professionals, we feel it is our duty to work in the spirit embodied by Hakim Workneh and Melaku Beyan, and that we can contribute effectively by devoting our time and resources from where we currently reside, by building a bridge to further concentrated collaboration over the coming years. Numerous members of our Society have lived in North America for a few decades, while others much less. Regardless, our work and training outside of Ethiopia are two things we share in common with Hakim Workneh and Melaku Beyan; they were also expatriates who received their medical training and held medical practices abroad. What remained common between them and among us is a deep desire to offer better treatment to a population that could use an improved medical care infrastructure. As a Society taking after the names of two pioneering Ethiopian doctors, we wish to embody their spirit as we carry our mission to improve Ethiopia's health care systems and medical institutions. Membership to the Hakim Workneh and Melaku Beyan Society is open to all medical doctors and allied health professionals with ties to Ethiopia. |
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Annual Meeting of HWMB Society will be held in New york on July 5, 2019
The years honoree will be anounced on the same day.
A Historical Outline of Ophthalmic Practice in Ethiopia
Not much is known of eye services in Ethiopia before the Italian occupation. After the liberation of Ethiopia from Italy, the school health services concentrating on trachoma diagnosis and treatment by copper sulphate scraping was under the care of the Italian, Dr Pace.
Ophthalmic services in Ethiopia solely depended on expatriate ophthalmologists until mid-1960's. Ophthalmologists from Cyprus, Sweden and Germany, in addition to rendering services to the public, had trained few nurses which were assisting them. Strong ties with president Tito of Yugoslavia resulted in the fact that there were some 400 nationals from Yugoslavia including Dr. Obradovic, who was at the time the prominent ophthalmologist in Ethiopia.
Dr. Paulos Quana'a, the first Ethiopian ophthalmologist from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, arrived on the scene in 1964 and joined Dr. Zagora, an ophthalmologist from Israel at Menelik II hospital. This young energetic individual soon recognized the full responsibility ahead of him of enhancing the ophthalmic services in Ethiopia. While he was doing surgery in the mornings every day, he had also to take care of the hundreds of patients waiting for him at the out-patient department in the afternoon.
It was apparent for him at that juncture, that there has to be accelerated manpower development in the ophthalmic field to overcome the often quoted ratio at international forums of "one ophthalmologist for one million populations" in Sub Saharan countries including Ethiopia. As a result, he launched a three years postgraduate program in ophthalmology in 1980. Because he was the only staff involved in training as well as surgical and medical services at that time, he felt the surgical practical experience of residents was inadequate. Thus, the residency program was made to continue as a four year program.
The eye department uninterruptedly continued to recruit young medical doctors to join the residency program, despite constraints of staff and material. To strengthen the staff, he recruited subsequent graduates whose capability and interest to teach were inviting. He collaborated with international organizations like International Eye Foundations (IEF) to obtain journals, books as well as some equipment. In additional, he was inviting expatriate nationals to teach residents through the program of UNDP TOKTEN (UNDP Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals). He played a core role to establish the "Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia" creating a forum of the exchange of scientific clinical research among members.
The department that was started by him alone has continued in a strengthened manner and so far 118 ophthalmologists have graduated for it. Indeed, Dr. Paulos has tirelessly served the nation and is till strong enough to continue serving as an active consultant. All of us who the products of the department he started long ago are proud of his dedication and contributions to Ethiopia. The quality and quantity of services given in Ethiopia today have rotted from his idea initiated more than 30 years ago. We give tribute to him for our successes and wish him a healthy and prosperous life.
Abebe Bejiga, MD
Associate professor of ophthalmology
Addis Ababa University
Ophthalmic services in Ethiopia solely depended on expatriate ophthalmologists until mid-1960's. Ophthalmologists from Cyprus, Sweden and Germany, in addition to rendering services to the public, had trained few nurses which were assisting them. Strong ties with president Tito of Yugoslavia resulted in the fact that there were some 400 nationals from Yugoslavia including Dr. Obradovic, who was at the time the prominent ophthalmologist in Ethiopia.
Dr. Paulos Quana'a, the first Ethiopian ophthalmologist from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, arrived on the scene in 1964 and joined Dr. Zagora, an ophthalmologist from Israel at Menelik II hospital. This young energetic individual soon recognized the full responsibility ahead of him of enhancing the ophthalmic services in Ethiopia. While he was doing surgery in the mornings every day, he had also to take care of the hundreds of patients waiting for him at the out-patient department in the afternoon.
It was apparent for him at that juncture, that there has to be accelerated manpower development in the ophthalmic field to overcome the often quoted ratio at international forums of "one ophthalmologist for one million populations" in Sub Saharan countries including Ethiopia. As a result, he launched a three years postgraduate program in ophthalmology in 1980. Because he was the only staff involved in training as well as surgical and medical services at that time, he felt the surgical practical experience of residents was inadequate. Thus, the residency program was made to continue as a four year program.
The eye department uninterruptedly continued to recruit young medical doctors to join the residency program, despite constraints of staff and material. To strengthen the staff, he recruited subsequent graduates whose capability and interest to teach were inviting. He collaborated with international organizations like International Eye Foundations (IEF) to obtain journals, books as well as some equipment. In additional, he was inviting expatriate nationals to teach residents through the program of UNDP TOKTEN (UNDP Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals). He played a core role to establish the "Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia" creating a forum of the exchange of scientific clinical research among members.
The department that was started by him alone has continued in a strengthened manner and so far 118 ophthalmologists have graduated for it. Indeed, Dr. Paulos has tirelessly served the nation and is till strong enough to continue serving as an active consultant. All of us who the products of the department he started long ago are proud of his dedication and contributions to Ethiopia. The quality and quantity of services given in Ethiopia today have rotted from his idea initiated more than 30 years ago. We give tribute to him for our successes and wish him a healthy and prosperous life.
Abebe Bejiga, MD
Associate professor of ophthalmology
Addis Ababa University