A special humanitarian team consisting of eight Israeli ophthalmologists has arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The delegation was led by Dr Yishay Falick. During the week, doctors treated 150 Azerbaijani soldiers wounded during the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Israeli doctors arrived at the invitation of Azerbaijani officials and the visit was funded by the YASHAT charity foundation.
All operations have been performed at the National Ophthalmology Centre named after Zarifa Aliyeva, the largest and most advanced medical institution in Azerbaijan.
Dr. Yishay Falick and Dr. Yore Barak conducted a successful operation to restore the eyesight of two seriously wounded soldiers. Arif, 20, suffered a shrapnel wound and was almost completely blind, unable to distinguish between light and dark. Within hours, he underwent surgery to remove traumatic cataracts, including retinal and corneal transplants. Arif Hajiyev was able to read shortly after recovering from the anesthesia.
"It's a particular feeling to give people a chance to see the world again. I am proud to be part of the Israeli medical system, which can carry out humanitarian missions in the most difficult times. I am proud of everyone who comes here to help severely injured young people to return to their normal lives. It's a wonderful expression of the volunteer spirit of Israeli society," said Yishay Falick, an ophthalmologist who is also specialised in corneal transplantation, cataract surgery and refraction.
Most of the procedures performed by doctors in Azerbaijan on their patients are related to oculoplastic surgery - plastic eye surgery, fractures and tumors in the eye socket, restorative measures after eye removal, eyelid surgery, prosthesis implantation, etc.
"Here we met young soldiers with terrible injuries, most of whom could not leave the house due to facial deformities due to injuries. In our operations, we were able to restore the soft tissues of the face when it was not possible to restore vision," Yishay Falick said.
Israeli doctors worked in Baku for free, and some even closed their private clinics to join this international humanitarian project. The team consists of leading Israeli doctors: a specialist in plastic surgery of the eyes and eyelids. Dr. Joav Vardizer, cataract surgery and corneal transplant specialist, oculoplasty surgeon, former director of the ophthalmology department at Barzilai Hospital Dr. Schmuel Lewartowski, Chief Physician, Department of Ophthalmology, Barzilai Medical Centre Galina Sholokhov, head of the retinal department of the Ophthalmology Department of Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Dr. Yore Barak, a specialist in the treatment of headaches and neck pain Cervical Dr. Oved Daniel.
In an interview with Eurasia Diary Dr. Yishay Falick has also spoken about himself. The full interview is in the video.
Interviewed by Jamila Chebotareva
Translated by Elnur Enveroglu
