Shriners Hospitals Surgeon Volunteers In Africa (NAPSA)—Doctors at Shriners v Hospitals for Children are so devoted to treating children with orthopaedic problems; they will travel halfway around the world to help a child in need. One of these doctors is Philadelphia Shriners Hospital Hand & Upper Extremities Surgeon Scott H. Kozin, M.D. He joined other volunteer doctors with Health Vol- e unteers Overseas (HVO) as part of the “Orthopaedics Overseas” program in Uganda, Africa. The pur- pose of the two-week trip was to train students and physicians by helping to improve the medical treatment of people in developing countries. A majority of Kozin’s work was performed at Mulago Hospital, in the town of Kampala, Uganda. More than half of the orthopaedic beds were filled with children under the age of 15, reflecting the demographics of the region. Many children suffered from the residuals of polio, neglected and malunited fractures, burns, posttraumatic, hand stiffness and congenital anomalies. In addition to helping needy children, Kozin spent time at a local animal orphanage. Poachers have been known to capture and smuggle chimpanzees out of the country and, once recovered, many are unable to reintegrate into the wild. Kozin treated one chimpanzee with a severely infected hand. The trip gave Kozin and his medical counterparts a new appreciation for hospital operating the- aters, equipment and supplies, all of which were scarce in Uganda. Some doctors even used their cre- ae Scott H. Kozin, M.D., Shriners Hospital Hand & Upper Extremities surgeon, poses with one of the many orphans hetreated dur- ing his volunteertrip to Uganda. HVO allowed volunteer doctors to spend some time with the Ugandan locals. They ventured into tombs where the Bugandi Tribe was buried, ate authentic food and observed traditional dancing. Kozin is an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Temple University School of Medicine. He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, from which he was recently awarded the Sterling Bunnell Traveling Fellowship. For more information on Shriners’ network of 22 hospitals that provide medical care andservices totally free of charge to chil- dren with orthopaedic problems, burns and spinal cord injuries, write to: Shriners International Headquarters, Public Relations Dept., 2900 Rocky Point Dr., ativity when fixing a fracture or making a cast. One technique Tampa, FL 33607, or visit the Web site at www.shrinershq.org. Treat- a cast from the dampclimate. When the visiting doctors were race, religion or relationship to a included using an old tire to protect not assisting with medical issues, ment is provided to children under age 18 without regard to Shriner.
