Qasem al-Asbahi to the Yemen Times: Hospitals miracle work needs help [Archives:2002/19/Health]
May 6 2002
RIDHWAN AL-SAQQAF
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
Many patients come to this hospital from different governorates of the republic.
Doctors are under pressure to do their best, but the hospitals resources are inadequate and in need of support from the health ministry.
The hospital has 12 intensive medical care units, orthodontics and neurosurgery departments in addition to 500 beds.
Neurosurgery, in particular, is one of the more complex services provided at the hospital.
Yemen Times reporter, Ridhwan al-Saqqaf, Aden Bureau met up with one of the famous neurosurgeon at the hospital, Dr. Qasem al-Asbahi and filed the following interview.
Q: Would you give us a brief account of the neurosurgery unit at the hospital?
A: Two Yemeni doctors and two foreign ones are overburdened with the neurosurgical operations. The number of patients who come to the hospital range from 15 to 24 on a daily basis.
Most patients are coming to the hospital from different governorates of the republic. The unit includes 20 beds and patients should submit themselves to medical checkups before conducting operations.
Q: How do you handle cases in this unit?
A: Complicated neurosurgical operations are conducted by well-experienced doctors. Three or four surgeons and five additional assistants are taken to operating rooms for operations.
The most complicated ones are the operations at the brain oncosis. Operations that have been conducted abroad can be conducted successfully at the hospital here in Aden.
Recently, brain oncosis operations have been conducted and the patients are now in good health conditions.
In addition to this, more than 23 cancer operations have been successfully conducted. Prior to four years ago, the hospital was unable to conduct such operations.
The neurosurgical unit also performs other complex operations such as repairing fractured skulls. In this respect, around 25 skull operation have been also conducted.
Q: What are the different cases received by neurosurgery?
A: Different cases are received by the unit. This includes, car crashes where the patient is badly hurt in the head or the skull. There is also cancer cases received by neurosurgical unites which has been ranging from 2 to 3 cases monthly.
Q: Does the unit has successfully conduct incurable cases?
A: Yes of course. We receive some incurable cases but such cases come late. We do our best to save the lives of patients. We feel very glad when we see the smile of the patients on their faces.
Q: Does the unit face difficulties?
A: As a matter of fact, the hospital is in short of medical apparatus, such as, x-ray machines. This will cost more than YR 12,000, if the patient goes somewhere for private medical checkups.
The main difficulty that we face is a lack of medical apparatus and the number of beds are inadequate.
We possess well-experience neurosurgeons. We could gain the support of some international organizations, but what is needed is to increase the support of the hospital.
Exerted efforts have been made by the General Manger of the Hospital, Mohammed Assadi to promote the existing conditions of the hospital.
Q: Any last comment?
A: We thank the Yemen Times newspaper for its keen interest on paying a visit to such vital health units.
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