Jenny Ongkosuwito's Kenya Expedition with MicroREC Optical System

Jenny Ongkosuwito, an ophthalmologist and surgeon of OLVG in the Netherlands, recently took part in an expedition to Kenya, where she used the MicroREC recording system for the first time. This innovative technology allowed her to record her surgeries and facilitated the education process between doctors from Netherlands and Kenya.

Overcoming Difficult Challenges to Perform Optical Surgeries

Dr. Ongkosuwito encountered a challenging operating room environment during her recent three-week surgery expedition at the AIC Hospital Litein in Kenya. The room had large windows that let in too much light, making it difficult to perform surgeries. Jenny and her team improvised to remedy the situation by covering the windows with trash bags. This made the room more conducive to surgery and allowed them to continue helping people in need.

To make the surgeries faster and save time, Marjolein Ronday, Jenny’s long-time friend and colleague, purchased an Oertli Phaco machine to perform phacoemulsification, a surgical procedure used in most Western Countries to remove cataracts. They also taught the doctors at the clinic the beginning of phaco surgery. However, most of the surgeries they conducted in Kenya were done with SICS (small incision cataract surgery) due to the lack of phaco machines and the severity of cataracts.

MicroREC is Making Remote Learning and Collaboration Easier Than Ever

MicroREC is essential for recording several surgical procedures and send videos of surgeries to doctors in the Netherlands to facilitate remote learning and collaboration. This way, doctors in different parts of the world can learn from each other and improve their surgical techniques. After procedures are done you can look back and point out different steps of surgery, even when a complication has happened you don’t always know when actually it happened; the possibility to look back is very helpful to improve surgical skills.

Dr. Ongkosuwito’s expedition to Kenya using the MicroREC recording system is a great example of how technology can be used to improve medical care in developing countries. The optical system’s remote learning and collaboration capabilities have the potential to bridge the gap in medical knowledge and expertise between developed and developing countries, taking significant steps toward achieving equitable healthcare for all.

She and Dr. Marjolein Ronday plan to help build a new Eye Clinic, where Jenny can leave the MicroREC for teaching purposes. If you want to donate to the new Eye clinic, please scan the QR code.

Ready to join the future of modern medical advances? Get your MicroREC today!