Zambia

Flyspec, Zambia

FlySpec is a unique flying medical charity in Zambia, a country roughly two-and-a-half times the size of the British Isles, where roads are poor and travel is expensive.

Operating principally by air, FlySpec is the only Orthopaedic, Plastic, and reconstructive service, reaching patients in the most remote areas of Zambia. No charges are made for anytreatment.

Please see the most recent Flyspec newsletter here: Flyspec Newsletter December 2021

Previous Newsletters:

FlySpec Newsletter Dec 2020

Linkman:

Dr Goran Jovic goranjovic57@gmail.com

Mr Alberto Gregori gregoribub@aol.com 

For more information:  http://www.flyspec.org/

Examples of Patients and Problems

— donated by Miss Hillary Robinson —

A 10yr.old girl presenting at an isolated mission hospital, where there is no orthopaedic surgeon, with a completely rigid upper spine from a form of juvenile rheumatoid. Prof.Jellis has considerable experience of operating on spinal TB and spinal trauma but would not attempt surgery on this case. The FlySpec Major Operations Fund would send her to a spinal specialist in South Africa but lacks the resources at present and is seeking donations.

A girl of about 11 yrs. presented with multiple skeletal dysplasias; NO nasal bone, NO tibia, deformity of the hands and multiple other deformities. Prof.Jellis has “Cattle-trucked” heh fibular and “put about half her pelvis into her leg”. This girl typifies patients treated under the FlySpec Major Operations Programme which was established to treat those patients too lod to come under the Cheshire Homes Childrens’ Programme and too complex to be treated in the out-reach hospitals. Patients are treated free of charge at ZIOH (Zambia Italian Orthopaedic Hospital), the Fund pays the hospital expenses ie. Hotel costs, drugs & dressings and theatre costs. The surgeons donate their services; when needed the Fund gives a grant towards the cost of travel to and from Lusaka.