2023 CURE Children's Hospital of Ethiopia Annual Report

Dr. Tesfaye Mulat surgically treats a patient with a cleft condition at CURE Ethiopia.

PURPOSE

CURE provides world-class surgical care to the world’s most vulnerable children

VISION

By 2026 to become internationally recognized as a center of excellence for holistic care, training, and research

MISSION

To provide a holistic healthcare service to children with disabilities that is safe, sustainable, and compassionate

CURE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia

To provide a holistic healthcare service to children with disability that is safe, sustainable, and compassionate.

The numbers and statistics cited throughout this report reflect CURE’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), which ran from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Temesgen, Play Therapy Coordinator, sings with patients and caregivers.

CA LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Adey Abate

URE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia (CURE Ethiopia) is dedicated to providing comprehensive surgical and rehabilitative care for children with treatable physical disabilities. As we end another successful fiscal year, I want to reflect on our collective accomplishments and plans for the coming years and express my gratitude for your unwavering dedication, hard work, and partnership.

We have focused on reaching the most underserved living with treatable disabilities—children displaced due to conflict, children who have lost both or either of their parents, children living with multiple disabilities, and children with insufficient access to food, among others. We will continue bringing our services closer to our patients through our outreach clinics and by training local doctors. We are hopeful that in the future, children will only come to our facility for the more complicated procedures.

Although our services are provided at no cost to our patients and their caregivers (thanks to our generous donors), we take Quality and Patient Safety (QPS) seriously and have invested to ensure our patients receive the best care available. Our first audit by SafeCare, an international organization accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care

External Evaluation Association, was indicative of our commitment to QPS. Our goal is to continue improving and get accredited by SafeCare in the coming years.

The following efforts are being made to improve our facilities: We finalized our borehole to ensure clean water and modernized our wastewater system to protect the environment we work within. We will be adding a 3D C-arm and an intraoperative CT O-arm, enabling us to obtain axial imaging for accurate surgery. We will be starting our new clinical building and renovating other areas this fiscal year, and we plan to finish in three years.

We acknowledge the generosity and support of our donors, partners, and government counterparts with much gratitude. This year's successes would not have been possible without you.

Honored to serve together,

Adey Abate Executive Director

CURE Children's Hospital of Ethiopia

OVERVIEW FISCAL YEAR 2023

CURE ETHIOPIA provides world-class surgical care for children living with treatable disabilities. Orthopedic services primarily include care for clubfoot, knock knees, bowed legs, and neglected trauma. Plastics/reconstructive care is expanding to serve children needing microvascular surgery.

69%

27%

4%

OUR NETWORK

CURE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia is part of CURE International, a nonprofit organization that operates a global network of children’s hospitals pairing world-class surgical care and counseling to serve children living with treatable disabilities and their families.

Jimma

ETHIOPIA

CURE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia

Hawassa

Jigjiga

Bahir Dar

Gondar

Davao City PHILIPPINES

Niamey NIGER

Addis Ababa ETHIOPIA Mbale UGANDA

Kijabe KENYA

Lusaka ZAMBIA

Blantyre MALAWI

Bulawayo ZIMBABWE

Addis Ababa

BUILDING THE FUTURE

CURE Ethiopia Performs First Free Fibula Transfer Surgery

Bawendi is now six years old, but when she was two, she fell from a high chair and broke her lower left leg. As Bawendi got older, her leg became visibly misshapen, and she slowly lost the ability to walk, run, and stand unsupported.

She couldn’t play, go to school, or attend mosque for religious education. Without specialized surgical intervention, her leg would need to be amputated to prevent infection.

Her family was relieved when a local hospital referred them to CURE Ethiopia, where surgeons performed a free fibula transfer. The fibula is the outer and usually smaller of the two bones between the knee and ankle in the lower leg.

The surgery involved harvesting a section of fibular bone from Bawendi's healthy right leg, with attached arteries and veins, and transferring it to her left leg. The leg was then stabilized with a metal frame. The surgery took all day to complete.

Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Tim Nunn carefully removed the section of fibular from Bawendi's right leg, ensuring that the attached arteries and veins were preserved. Reconstructive and Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tesfaye Mulat skillfully transferred the fibular section to her left leg, while the anesthetist closely monitored her throughout the procedure. Additionally, the OR nurses provided essential support to ensure a successful surgery.

Previously, such surgeries were performed at CURE Ethiopia by visiting teams of experts from around the world. Bawendi’s was the first in-house fibula transfer procedure.

Now equipped with the necessary training and medical equipment, the hospital expects to be able to perform 12 to 15 of these surgeries each year. The innovative surgery is part of CURE Ethiopia’s commitment to providing life-changing care for children with treatable disabilities.

Before surgery at CURE Ethiopia, Bawendi could not play like other children her age.

Dr. Tim (left), Dr. Tesfaye (right), and the operating room team drilled an external fixator (metal frame) into Bawendi's left leg bone to keep it stable while she healed.

A free fibular transfer is one of the common ways of replacing a fibula that has been damaged or grown abnormally.

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE CLEFT CARE

Around the world, approximately 200,000 babies are born yearly with cleft lip and palate. These conditions can cause issues with eating, breathing, and speaking.

The physical challenges of orofacial clefts are compounded by both the lack of understanding about them and strong cultural beliefs. Children with orofacial clefts are often discriminated against and excluded from their communities. Additionally, the lack of awareness and misconceptions surrounding these conditions can perpetuate negative stereotypes and hinder access to proper healthcare and support for the affected children.

MEETING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH CLEFT LIP AND PALATE

Thankfully, cleft conditions are correctible. Last year, 9 percent of reconstructive surgeries performed at CURE Ethiopia involved cleft lip and palate repairs. If surgery is performed at an early age, it can significantly restore the child’s speech and social integration.

In partnership with Smile Train, CURE Ethiopia has expanded its comprehensive cleft care program. The program provides world-class surgical procedures, nutritional support, and speech therapy.

CURE Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tesfaye Mulat offers personalized treatment plans for children with clefts, improving their physical appearance, confidence, and quality of life.

The medical team also provides pre-surgery prep and postsurgery rehabilitation, including speech therapy, ensuring children live full, productive, and independent lives. Speech therapy targets specific sounds and techniques to improve articulation and clarity, enhancing the patient’s vocabulary and communication skills.

CURE also provides essential nutrition to children and their families staying at the hospital by serving three daily meals to improve the patient’s health and help them recover from surgery. CURE Ethiopia’s kitchens serve approximately 55,140 meals annually, feeding over 11,028 people. A nutritionist on staff also advises caregivers and parents of cleft patients on proper nutrition.

CURE Ethiopia Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tesfaye successfully performs a cleft lip procedure.

Before surgery at CURE Ethiopia, Abdi faced a life of social ridicule and potential health issues due to his bilateral cleft lip and palate.

ABDI: THRIVING UNDER CURE’S COMPREHENSIVE CARE PROGRAM

Thanks to our kind donors and CURE partners, CURE Ethiopia will continue transforming the lives of kids like Abdi by providing complete care for cleft lip and palate conditions.

Abdi, who was born with bilateral cleft lip and palate, was five months old when he first came to CURE. His parents traveled three days on foot to get him to the hospital for the care he desperately needed.

Dr. Tesfaye first performed a two-hour surgery at CURE Ethiopia to close the opening in Abdi's upper lip. After this procedure, the medical team transferred him to the intensive care unit (ICU), where he received specialized help, including nursing care, because his mother could not breastfeed him due to the wound on his lip.

CURE’s highly skilled nurses and doctors closely monitored Abdi in the ICU to ensure his comfort and recovery. He was fed using food prepared by a nutritionist

After surgery at CURE Ethiopia, Abdi (pictured with his mom, Atsede) smiles and sticks out his tongue with no complications.

to help his wounds heal quickly and restore his strength, and then he was sent home to recover.

Less than a year later, he returned to CURE Ethiopia, where Dr. Tesfaye performed a second surgery to repair his cleft palate. He received thorough post-surgical care, first in the ICU and then with follow-up appointments, until he fully healed.

Like we did for Abdi, our committed team at CURE Ethiopia works relentlessly to improve the appearance and entire well-being of every child with a cleft condition we treat. Thanks to the generosity of our partners, we

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Medanit's Transformation

Medanit is a 16-year-old girl whose name in Amharic means “cure.” This brave young girl is in eighth grade, and her favorite subject is human biology.

If you sat down with Medanit, you would quickly see she is strong-willed and wants to accomplish great things. Her optimism, resilience, and passion for learning make it clear that she can achieve anything she sets her sights on. This determination brought her to CURE Ethiopia.

MEDANIT’S STORY

Medanit was born with bilateral clubfoot, and both her feet turned inward at an awkward angle. Walking was difficult, so she rarely left her house.

“

Children at my school think I am subhuman, but I don’t see myself that way. I know that I, like everyone else, can achieve great things in life.”

Her disability made life in her community difficult. “Children at my school think I am subhuman,” Medanit said before her surgery. “But I don’t see myself that way. I know that I, like everyone else, can achieve great things in life.”

After Medanit arrived at CURE Ethiopia, Dr. Nardos Worku surgically corrected her left foot. Her surgery was successful, and she recovered from the procedure quickly. The doctors were so impressed with her progress that they decided to operate on her right foot only a week later. This determined girl was excited to hear the news. Most kids dread the day they go into surgery, but not Medanit; she couldn’t wait to go to the operating room again! It just showed how much she wanted to live a life free from clubfoot.

Dr. Mesfin Etsub and his team led Medanit’s second surgery, called a triple arthrodesis. This procedure involved removing the damaged arthritic cartilage and fusing three joints in Medanit’s right foot. The goal was to create a stable foot for her to walk on.

Before Medanit had surgery at CURE Ethiopia, people in her community made fun of her because of her clubfoot.

MORE THAN AN OVERCOMER

With all the surgeries and hospital visits behind her, Medanit is back in school. She lives with her uncle so that she can be closer to school. “The children at my school don’t even know that I have a disability because I can walk up the stairs just like them,” Medanit said with a big smile.

She is happy to wear different types of shoes now that she can walk independently without any difficulty, as opposed to before, when she wore the same pair almost daily.

Medanit couldn’t leave her house because she had difficulty walking, but that has changed. Now, she goes out and socializes with her friends. She brims with joy as she recalls being valued and loved by the staff at CURE Ethiopia. She says she came to CURE feeling worthless but left with her selfesteem at an all-time high.

Medanit plans to impact others the way the highly skilled surgeons at CURE Ethiopia changed her life. “My experience at CURE has impacted me in many ways. I have great compassion for people suffering from disabilities, and I want to help them by becoming an orthopedic surgeon in the future.”

After her two surgeries, Medanit walks without complications and enjoys going to school and hanging out with friends.

Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Nardos and Operating Room Nurse Mekdes correct Medanit’s clubfoot.

HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Adey Abate

Executive Director

Dr. Tim Nunn

Medical Director

Mesfin Taye Director of Counseling

Sara Kahsay Nursing Director

Metasebia Mamo

Human Resources & Administrative Director

2023

Dr. Yodit Enkossa

Quality & Patient Safety Director

Mahlet Teshome Facilities Director

Abinet Takele Finance Director

Debebe Leta

Program & Development Director

CURE Ethiopia staff gathered in front of the hospital.

PARTNERSHIPS

Addis Ababa Health Bureau

Alemachen Convalescent Home for the Disabled AO Foundation

Bahir Dar, Asella, and Arba Minch Physical Rehabilitation Centers

Bahir Dar University - Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital

Cheshire Ethiopia (Menagesha & Hawassa Branch Offices)

Cheshire Foundation Action for Inclusion (Bahir Dar & Jimma Project Offices)

College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa

FDRE Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO)

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Health

Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital

Heal and Teach Foundation

ICRC

Jigjiga University Shiek Hassan Yabare Referral Hospital

Jimma University Medical Center

Limb Kind Foundation

Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity

Nordic Medical Center

Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS)

Project Matrix

Rees-Jones Foundation

Shamida Ethiopia

SIM medical missions team & Bingham School

Smile Train

Soddo Christian Hospital

St. Paul’s Millennium Medical College

The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada

Tikur Ambessa Specialized Hospital

Tim Tebow Foundation

Transforming Faces

University of Gondar - CBR Program

University of Gondar Specialized Hospital

University of Oxford

USAID

DONATE

CURE INTERNATIONAL INC.

AWASH BANK S.C.

SIDISK KILO BRANCH

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 01308227844900

SWIFT CODE: AWINETAA

CURE INTERNATIONAL INC.

HIBRET BANK S.C.

MEHAL ARADA BRANCH

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 1111810451305015

SWIFT CODE: UNTDETAAXXX

REFER A CHILD

Cleft lip or palate conditions are assessed on a walk-in basis at the CURE hospital in Addis Ababa. A referral is not required.

All orthopedic patients are prioritized according to clinical urgency and need a referral letter obtained from a doctor before attending the CURE clinic. The referral letter and a triage review will be considered when prioritizing clinic appointments with a surgeon.

Address

Addis Ababa, 6 kilo adjacent

Hamle 19 Park

Phone

+251111237767 11

Website ethiopia.cure.org

Email info@cureethiopia.org

Socials

@cureethiopia

facebook.com/cureethiopia

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