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A Shortage of Specialists in Ethiopia

Muluken Bekele Wondimagegnehu, MD (right), receives a Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund Award from the fund’s namesake, Eugene N. Myers, MD, FRCS, Edin(Hon).Academy member Muluken Bekele Wondimagegnehu, MD, is an otolaryngologist at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, located in the southern part of Ethiopia. The East African nation is home to 132 million people—making it the tenth most populous country in the world. Yet, there are only around 80 otolaryngologists working in Ethiopia. In the area where Dr. Bekele practices, there are six. The World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons is two per 100,000 population.¹ In the United States, there are three per 100,000. In Ethiopia, there is one per 1,650,000. But it is not just the high population and severe shortage of specialists that add to the complexity and challenges of caring for patients in Ethiopia.

“[As otolaryngologists in Ethiopia] we lack resources. There is almost no surgical equipment, like operating microscopes, and basic supplies, like geofoam, to address the most prevalent ear diseases, such as chronic otitis media.”  

— Muluken Bekele Wondimagegnehu, MD,
2024 Eugene N. Myers MD Award Recipient and otolaryngologist, Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia

Additionally, there are no continuing education programs for the specialty in Ethiopia. Dr. Bekele and his colleagues must look beyond their country’s borders to gain knowledge, education, clinical tools, and support. However, traveling to attend a meeting or paying for online education without financial assistance is not an option. Dr. Bekele shared that a monthly salary as a consultant otolaryngologist in Ethiopia is less than USD 200.

The challenges that Ethiopian physicians are up against are significant but not uncommon. Access to training and continuing education is a major concern for otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons working in low- and middle-income countries around the world. 

Operating Under the Challenges of War in Ukraine

Svetlana Yaremchuk, MD, (left) with Ryan J. Soose, MD, at the University of Pittsburgh Eye & Ear. Dr. Yaremchuk participated in an academic observership with the financial support of the AAO-HNSF.Academy member Svetlana Yaremchuk, MD, from Kyiv, Ukraine, is an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon with the Kolomiychenko Institute of Otolaryngology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) of Ukraine. During these troubling times of conflict in her home country, she and her colleagues perform surgeries every day on more than 100 soldiers suffering from various pathologies. 

“During the full-scale invasion of Russian forces in Ukraine, it was discovered that a significant number of our valiant defenders suffer from sleep apnea,” shared Dr. Yaremchuk. Recognizing that “proper and timely treatment of these patients will greatly improve their combat effectiveness and reduce rehabilitation time after injuries,” she emphasized that her country needs more highly qualified professionals to help soldiers recover more quickly. However, as an otolaryngologist, during a time of war, it is tremendously difficult to focus on education without support. 

Join Us in Making an Impact

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) is committed to helping physicians like Dr. Bekele and Dr. Yaremchuk through its global education programs, which rely on contributions from members. By supporting these programs, you help ensure that otolaryngologists in low-resource countries receive essential training to help advance the specialty and improve patient care worldwide. Read on to learn more about each of these programs or visit: https://www.entnet.org/get-involved/international-programs/international-grants-and-scholarships/.

The Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund

Eugene N. Myers MD, FRCS, Edin(Hon)The Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund addresses the ongoing education needs of otolaryngologists in low-resource countries. Named in honor of Eugene N. Myers, MD, FRCS, Edin(Hon), AAO-HNS/F Past President and the Academy's first International Coordinator, as a tribute to his decades of dedication to advancing otolaryngology and global patient care, the fund provides grants to access or offset costs associated with the AAO-HNSF education resources and opportunities. Among other initiatives, this includes funding travel to the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting and covers education programs such as FLEX. 

During the AAO-HNSF 2024 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO^SM in Miami Beach, Florida, the Academy celebrated the inaugural class of Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund awardees, including Dr. Bekele and Dr. Yaremchuk, who traveled great distances to access specialized education and opportunities not readily available in their home countries. Congratulations to our 2024 awardees!

International Visiting Scholarship Program

In addition to the Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund, the AAO-HNSF offers another travel grant program, the International Visiting Scholarship (IVS) Program, which helps junior academics attend the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO and participate in an academic observership at an otolaryngology department or institution in the United States.

2024 IVS Awardees

In 2024, 11 IVS Program Scholarships were awarded.

Lautaro Ignacio Acosta, MD
Country: Argentina
IVS Award: Roy R. Casiano, MD IVS
Observership Location: University of Miami

Samuel Oluyomi Ayodele, MBBS, FWACS, FMCORLHNS
Country: Nigeria
IVS Award: Baxiram S. and Kankuben B. Gelot IVS
Observership Location: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre

Hung The Buy, MD
Country: Vietnam
IVS Award: Eiji Yanagisawa, MD IVS
Observership Location: University of Pittsburgh

Roma Charaja Vildoso, MD
Country: Peru
IVS Award: Antonio De la Cruz, MD IVS
Observership Location: University of Virginia

Avani Jain, MS, DNB
Country: India
IVS Award: American Association of Otolaryngologists of Indian Heritage IVS
Observership Location: Mass Eye and Ear

Smriti Panda, MS, MCh
Country: India
IVS Award: Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD IVS
Observership Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center

Sookyoung Park, MD, PhD
Country: Korea
IVS Award: IVS for Koreans
Observership Location: University of Alabama, Birmingham

Nasir Riaz, MBBS, FCPS
Country: Pakistan
IVS Award: AAO-HNSF IVS General Fund
Observership Location: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Egehan Salepci, MD, MSc
Country: Turkey
IVS Award: AAO-HNSF IVS General Fund
Observership Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Diva Sharma, MD
Country: India
IVS Award: ENT & Allergy Associates
Observership Location: Stanford University

Haben Birhane Werkineh, MD
Country: Zambia
IVS Award: AAO-HNSF IVS General Fund
Observership Location: Thomas Jefferson University & Grand Rapids ENT

2024 International Visiting Scholarship Program Awardees with 2023-2024 International Advisory Board Chair, Piotr Skarzynski, MD, PhD, MSc (far right).

We Need Your Support to Continue

The AAO-HNSF global education programs would not be possible without the ongoing support from Foundation donors. In just over a year, since the Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund was launched, the Foundation has raised more than $120,000 to support the continuing education needs of otolaryngologists in low-resource countries. This is truly a global initiative, with donors hailing from 19 countries worldwide. The Foundation is proud of how quickly this fund has grown, but we need your support to continue the program for years to come. All 100% of your contribution to the Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund will go toward providing continuing education programs to physicians practicing in low-income countries. Any donation, large or small, makes a difference. For example:

• USD 2,000 donation: Funds an International Visiting Scholarship award for a young physician to participate in an observership at a US institution and attend the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting
• USD 1,000 donation: Provides an international travel grant to offset costs associated with attending an Annual Meeting
• USD 250 donation: Provides an international Academy member with full access to FLEX

The goal is to help those physicians who need it the most so they can utilize and share knowledge attained with the support of the Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund to improve patient care in their home country. No matter how large or small, your gift will have a major impact on the lives of your international colleagues and their patients.

For more information on the Eugene N. Myers, MD Global Education Fund, please visit www.entnet.org/MyersGlobalFund, or contact the Foundation at international@entnet.org.

Empowering Physicians to Improve Outcomes on a Global Scale

Global outreach is a cornerstone of the AAO-HNS/F Strategic Plan and many of the resources and initiatives facilitated by the Foundation’s International Program focus on physicians working in low- and middle-income countries. Navigating the disparate obstacles to providing aid is a challenge, and undoubtedly overwhelming. However, the Academy and its members can, and already are, making a difference. These programs are made possible only through the generosity and engagement of our members—whether through financial contributions or by volunteering time and expertise. With continued support, we can empower more physicians in resource-limited settings to elevate patient care and improve outcomes on a global scale. Together, we are one.

International physicians gathered at the IAB General Assembly at the AAO-HNSF 2024 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Miami Beach, Florida.

Reference

1. Petrucci B, Okerosi S, Patterson RH, et al. The Global Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Workforce. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023;149(10):904–911. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2023.2339