Peter Appiah-Thompson, MD, in
Cape Coast, Ghana, is the only
otolaryngologist for a catchment
area of 2.2 million people. Jeremy
Meier, MD, visits Dr. Thompson's
hospital annually, as they work
together to build capacity and
improve care in central Ghana. A
primary focus of this collaboration is
improving Dr. Thompson's otologic
skills, as thousands of Ghanaians
with chronic otitis media have
limited or no access to surgically
correctable hearing loss. This year,
Daniel Cox, MD, (PGY-5) joined
the mission as doctors performed
20 operations in five days. In addition
to several tympanomastoidectomies,
surgical cases included an emergent
tracheostomy in an infant, cleft palate
repairs, extensive laryngeal papilloma
resection, and orbital abscess incision
and drainage for complicated acute
sinusitis. The needs are endless! If
anyone is interested in supporting
or joining a future mission, please
contact Dr. Meier at jeremy.meier@
hsc.utah.edu.
Medical Missions
GHANA
The University of Utah collaborates with other institutions in the United States and Australia to provide care for cleft
lip and palate patients in the Philippines through the organization Operation Restore Hope. Reema Padia, MD, now
a PGY-5, joined her pediatric otolaryngology attending, Harlan Muntz, MD, in May 2016 for his annual trip. She
participated in triaging patients the first day to identify surgical candidates and then assisted in the surgeries for the
rest of the week. The families and patients traveled near and far to receive these treatments, and many waited for
months in anticipation of the arrival of the surgical team. It was a humbling and rewarding experience that has only
enhanced Dr. Padia's interest in establishing international medical trips in the future.
PHILIPPINES
HealthCare.Utah.edu/ent | Division of Otolaryngology | University of Utah 7
