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Nonprofit sending millions in medical supplies to Ethiopia
Cardiologist Dr. Tesfaye Telila of Piedmont Hospital and his wife, Dr. Obsinet Merid of Morehouse School of Medicine, are heading the effort through their nonprofit, Heart Attack Ethiopia. The organization is transporting $2.6 million in cardiac supplies for the upcoming trip. FOX 5's Doug Evans has the story.
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A metro Atlanta nonprofit group is packing up millions of dollars in cardiac catheters and other supplies to provide critical heart surgeries for 200 patients in Ethiopia this July.
Atlanta doctors lead mission
What we know:
Cardiologist Dr. Tesfaye Telila of Piedmont Hospital and his wife, Dr. Obsinet Merid of Morehouse School of Medicine, are heading the effort through their nonprofit, Heart Attack Ethiopia. The organization is transporting $2.6 million in cardiac supplies for the upcoming trip.
A team of 50 doctors and nurses, including seven heart surgeons, will travel to Ethiopia to perform the procedures. This group includes interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, anesthesia critical care specialists, and perfusionists from six different countries.
Personal loss sparks charity
The backstory:
Dr. Telila started Heart Attack Ethiopia after his uncle died in Ethiopia due to a lack of access to interventional cardiology procedures. At the time of his uncle's death, Dr. Telila had just successfully performed the exact same life-saving procedure on a 93-year-old woman in the United States.
"I was like how is how fair is this?" Dr. Telila said regarding the disparity in medical care. Over the past three years, the initiative has grown significantly, attracting more than 600 volunteers ready to help.
Local patient survives blockage
Local perspective:
Dr. Telila recently saved the life of a Coweta County man whose heart stopped 16 times on the operating table because of a severe blockage. The successful local intervention highlights the exact type of critical care the team hopes to bring to patients overseas.
Future of pediatric operations
What's next:
For the first time ever, the team’s fifth mission will include interventional procedures specifically for children. The pediatric focus will help young patients suffering from heart defects.
The information in this story was gathered from a FOX 5 News broadcast report by Doug Evans, who interviewed Dr. Tesfaye Telila about his upcoming medical mission, as well as background information provided on the founders of Heart Attack Ethiopia.