For specialised physicians at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam), healing knows no borders. Beyond their demanding responsibilities at the hospital, some dedicate their free time and expertise to humanitarian missions around the world.
During May, through Operation Smile—a global volunteer-based medical training and care organisation—Dr. Omri Emodi, Director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. Zach Sharoni, a senior physician in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Head of the Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Program, continued a tradition spanning more than a decade, traveling abroad to deliver life-changing care in underserved regions where access to complex medical treatment remains limited.
The mission to Tanzania was led by Dr. Emodi and brought together 11 physicians and surgeons from Israel, Mexico, Egypt, and Rwanda to train local medical teams and perform cleft lip and palate surgeries for members of the community.
We performed complex surgeries on 44 patients of all ages
“Our schedule was particularly intense, with workdays extending beyond 12 hours,” says Emodi. “We dedicated one day to training the local medical team, followed by a day of patient examinations and triage, five days of surgery, and a final day devoted to follow-up examinations and post-procedure monitoring. During the mission, we evaluated 80 patients and performed complex surgeries on 44 patients of all ages.”
Emodi emphasises that these procedures not only transform lives but also equip local physicians with the tools and skills needed to continue providing care independently in the future.
Over the years, Rambam physicians, nurses, and trauma specialists have participated in dozens of humanitarian missions across the globe, including deployments to Ethiopia, Georgia, Turkey, and beyond.
Whether restoring a patient’s smile, correcting a deformity, or performing other complex procedures, Rambam’s medical teams approach these missions with deep purpose and commitment. Their encounters with local healthcare professionals, patients, and families continue to inspire and motivate them to return time and again.
