Eye surgery gives sight, and life to child in Azerbaijan

Monday, August 13, 2007
Aysu arrived with her grandmother at Ismailli District Central Hospital in Azerbaijan on 1 August, a hot summer day when temperatures soared over 40 degrees Celsius. There was no electricity, air conditioning or surgical equipment in the hospital. Thankfully, the medical team of Caspian Compassion Project (CCP), World Vision’s primary partner in the project, is accustomed to such challenging conditions and brought a power generator and other necessary equipment to complete the surgeries.

It took one hour for Dr. Khalil Huseynov to correct Aysu’s strabismus, a condition in which Aysu’s eyes could not focus on the same object at the same time.

Aysu’s grandmother, Dilshad Abdullayeva, was anxious to see little Aysu’s healed eyes.

“I can’t wait to see Aysu’s eyes again. I hope the operation went well and that she will recover soon,” said Dilshad worrying about her granddaughter’s well-being.

A couple weeks later, Dilshad says little Aysu is jumping and playing all day. It will take Aysu six to eight weeks to fully recover from the surgery.

Eye Surgeries in Azerbaijan brings healing and happiness to children like Aysu, whose families’ cannot afford the cost of surgery. It is funded through a gift catalog produced by World Vision United States.

World Vision began partnering with CCP, which has worked in Azerbaijan for 10 years, in 2004.

CCP’s mobile medical team focuses on correcting cataracts (opacities that cause impairment of vision or blindness) and strabismus in children at various locations in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is a developing country that lacks sufficient healthcare. Hospital buildings – the main medical points of districts - were built during the Soviet period. In many cases, neither the buildings nor equipment have been updated, which negatively impacts the quality of service. Healthcare reforms are progressing slowly in Azerbaijan.