Why we went

In Al-Falluja, too many patients wait too long for care that can’t wait. MOFN’s mission (September 18–25, 2025) was simple and urgent: stand with local clinicians, open operating rooms to those at the back of the line, and restore function, dignity, and hope—one case at a time.

What we delivered

A multidisciplinary team worked shoulder-to-shoulder with hospital staff across orthopedics & spine, general surgery, urology, maxillofacial/ENT, and plastic & reconstructive surgery. Over one intensive week, the team prioritized cases where a single intervention could transform a life: the grandmother who could finally walk to her garden after a knee replacement; the young worker spared a lifetime of pain by a spinal decompression; the child whose cleft repair re-opened a future.

Impact at a glance

• 143 surgeries and procedures completed, significantly reducing the backlog of complex cases.
• Orthopedics & Spine: total hip and knee replacements, spinal decompressions/fusions, ACL reconstructions, corrective osteotomies.
• General Surgery: laparoscopic cholecystectomy; inguinal, incisional, and paraumbilical hernia repairs; fissure/fistula/hemorrhoid procedures.
• Urology: TURP, varicocelectomy, cystolitholapaxy, flexible ureteroscopy, diagnostic cystoscopies, and meatoplasty.
• Maxillofacial/ENT: cleft palate repair, rhinoseptoplasty, thyroid and neck mass surgery, tonsillectomies, scar revisions.
• Plastics & Reconstruction: post-burn contracture releases, tendon reconstructions/tenolysis, local flaps and grafts, tumor excisions with reconstruction, septorhinoplasty, hand trauma salvage.
• Pain & function support: 60+ targeted image-guided injections to relieve pain, stabilize joints, and accelerate rehab.

How we worked

• With, not for: Local surgeons and nurses co-led case selection, anesthesia plans, and peri-operative pathways to fit the hospital’s reality—not an external playbook.
• Safety first: Clear pre-op criteria, standardized checklists, and meticulous handovers ensured continuity of care after wheels-up.
• Capacity built in: Every procedure doubled as training—technique sharing at the table, protocols on paper, and follow-up schedules owned by the host teams.

What it meant

This mission was about more than numbers. It shortened distances: between pain and relief, between fear and confidence, between “maybe someday” and “today.” Patients left with a plan and a path forward; teams left stronger, connected by shared standards and mutual respect.