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Dr Samir Khalil dan Dr Fida’ – The Uncovered Hidden Gems off Syria

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(Warning : part of the content may only be understood by ophthalmologists)

14 April 2023 (Sarmada) – It was not in our itinerary in the beginning to go to an Eye Centre in Sarmada. We didnt know anyone in Syria before coming there except for Abou Houda and Dr Aref. We met Dr Fida’ during our mobile clinic. He is an ophthalmologist who volunteer with the mobile clinic daily, except for the days that he has to attend his clinic sessions in full in the Eye Centre. On other days, he would initially go for mobile clinic in the morning and subsequently go for his ophthal patients in the evening.

Dr Ikmal Kamil is an ophthalmologist. When he met Dr Fida’ for the first time, the excitement never left him even for a second. After seeing patients he would dig every information he could get about the Eye Centre and subsequently arranged for us both including the whole team to go to Sarmada to see the centre with our own eyes.

We met Dr Samir in the Eye Centre. He seemed very calm and composed, yet when he opens up his mouth to tell the stories about their work, you can only listen at awe at the hard work, perserverence, his loyalty towards his people and country as he tries his best to steer them through cataract surgery despite the limitations.

Dr Samir is part of an organisation called AID (Alliance of International Dictors) and they received funds from IHH a humanitarian organisation for building the Eye Centre. For the past 1 year, his organisation managed to set up the Eye Centre, and they focused on cataract operation as it is one of the simple procedures which could be done under GA in the operation theatre and would benefit so many people.

Up till now, they have operated on approximately 1500 patients and cut down waiting time for cataract surgery from 1 year to 2 months for Syrians. Not only that, he started a training program for new ophthalmologists in Syria in the form of 4-year training including online lectures with international lecturers from all over the world. FYI, Dr Samir and his family are IDPs just as many of the other Syrians. They initially settled in Sarmada all the way from Aleppo, and subsequently had to move to Turkiye in 2016 when Sarmada too was under the attack of the regime. Since then he has been staying in Turkiye and coming in and out of Syria to provide his services for the people. He completed his Turkish Board exams for Ophthalmology and is currently pursuing FRCS, Glasgow.

He tells us if the dire need of funding for more staff, for equipments, for them to be able to provide for more Syrians. He arranges for the import if high quality lenses from India, which costs inly USD9 to which these are also provided to other hospitals in Free Syria which are doing cataract surgery.

Being an internist, I find a lot of things done by the ophthalmologists very very foreign to me. The equipments, equations what not. I was beginning to think that internal medicine is far more straightforward😅😅. Anyway, for the cataract surgery, they needed a special machine, and according to Dr Samir, it is better for them to use an old school portable machine rather than the latest technology as the older one offers more flexibility and reliability in the current situation. The cassettes were reusable after autoclave, there was less need for maintenance to which they have very limited access to thus making it far superior than any other advanced machines. (Some points i got despite not understanding any of them).

They do not have multifocal lenses. Main aim is to improve the eyesight in which these normal lenses can do. And without the right pre-operative eye assessment for refraction, corneal topography and what not, multifocal lenses might cause more harm then good for patients. (Also somewhat approximately understood by me)

Our visit was on a Friday which is supposed to be the official off day in Syria. The Eye Clinic is opened for surgery, with about 15 patients waiting to get their eyes done. The services are 100% free of charge and is aimed to improve the lives of Syrian people.

His ultimate goal is to come back to Syria, stay in Sarmada give services to the people and rebuild his country. To him “it may rain rocks in his own country, and rain gold in the other, yet home is where the heart is😁.” He hopes to be able to get proper certification for his trainees — 4 at the time being, 1 about to complete the 4-year training program, via collaboration with universities in other countries, even Malaysia if it was possible. So that they can continue to provide the services in Syria.

I am so grateful and proud Allah made me part of the fraternity ie a doctor. It is such a noble job, as we vowed to respond to those in distress for as long as we bear the doctor’s coat or stethoscope or whatever. I will continue to pray for the people if Syria, the light at the end if the tunnel is in sight although bleak, insyaAllah.

By Dr Fatimah Zaharah Rosli