Dr Leon Lewi has combined his love of Rotary and his medical vocation to become a passionate advocate for a special Rotary program called Interplast.
Leon is a long-time Rotarian. He was one of the charter members of the Rotary Club of Keilor having moved into the area in the 60's to commence his medical practice. After 50+ years, he is still an active Rotarian and he is still practising medicine in the same clinic that he started. He claims that he is only part-time but his wife, Pauline, reckons he only has Mondays off.
Leon explained all about the Interplast program. In Australia and New Zealand, we often take it for granted that if we ever need medical care, we will be treated quickly and effectively by highly qualified doctors, nurses, surgeons and other specialists.
But right next door in the Asia Pacific region, a lack of resources combined with limited training means people with repairable conditions are often not treated fast enough or well enough – if they are treated at all.
Interplast was set up to organise for Australian medical teams to volunteer their time to travel to countries in the Asia Pacific region to conduct surgical procedures and to train local doctors and nurses. Each trip costs about $50,000 which is basically used to transport up to 300 kg of equipment to and from the relevant country. Funding comes mainly from such sources as AusAid, community and corporate support and Rotary.
Some of the countries that they travel to include Mongolia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and the Kiribati Islands.
Some of the most common surgical procedures include:
Cleft lip and palate
Lower limb reconstruction
Hand and upper limb reconstruction
Ear deformities and craniofacial
Burn contractures
Skin lesions and soft tissue deformities
Local surgeons are also grateful for the learning they receive during these visits. Some of them now undertake their own surgeries without supervision.
Since 1983, in excess of 40,000 patients have been consulted and over 23,000 surgical procedures have taken place as part of the Interplast program. Each year, the number of Interplast trips increases. In 2017, there were 70 trips and 75 are planned this year.