Wednesday was surgical clinic (SURGCAP) day at the port in Dili here in Timor-Leste. We had several local high school students serving as translators. The students here all begin studying English (and also Portuguese) beginning in junior high. Their native language is Tetum, although--in this country that is about the size of Connecticut--there are 16 different dialects. The number of patients needing GYN surgery was small, however, overall 125 prescreened patients were seen, and 47 surgeries were scheduled. As medical clinics are held elsewhere on the island, other patients will be referred in for surgical evaluation. The hope is that about 150 total surgeries will be done on this leg of the Pacific Partnership. A beautiful little 3-month-old girl with a cleft lip was seen and will have surgery today by the plastic surgeon on board.
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