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Dr Avigail Mayani
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Photo: Israel Bardugo

Angel of Africa: Israeli doctor helps refugees

After three years of caring for thousands of sick patients in southern continent, Dr. Avigail Maayani returns to Israel to treat African refugees in Tel Aviv

Three years ago Dr. Avigail Maayani left for Africa to care for the sick and lead medical training courses. Now she has returned to Israel, but Africa is still on her mind.

 

The good doctor chose to continue caring for Africans at the Israel Medical Association (IMA) refugee clinic in Tel Aviv.

 

When she first left for Africa, Mayani, a trained-gynecologist, left behind her husband and three children and joined the international Global Youth Partnership for Africa (GYPA) delegation, in cooperation with Brit Olam, an international Israeli Jewish Volunteer Movement, on a three month volunteer program.

 

On her first journey to the southern continent, she visited a small city near Uganda. There she cared for sick patients and trained locals in the fields of hygiene, proper nutrition, baby care, sexually transmitted diseases and children's illnesses.

 

Maayani met nearly a 1,000 patients throughout her initial journey, an experience which affected her so deeply she began dreaming of moving to Africa and saving more lives.

 

In the meantime, many African refugees have arrived in Israel, and Maayani is there to provide them with proper medical care.

 

"Helping people is giving love without conditions, without wanting anything in return. It makes you whole and enriches you as a person," she explained.

 

The refugee clinic was founded some three years ago by the IMA and Israel's Health Ministry. Dozens of doctors care for hundreds of patients there every month.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.27.12, 07:39
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