Tom Catena, a finalist for the 2017 Aurora Prize, delivered a public lecture at Yerevan State Medical University on Monday, May 22. Dr. Catena shared his experiences as a surgeon in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, where he has been working since 2008.
“My goal for today is to show you what life is like at a rural hospital in the middle of nowhere in Africa, and to encourage you that with your training as a doctor, you can do a lot of good even in a very isolated situation with limited resources,” Dr. Catena said to students.
Dr. Catena’s Mother of Mercy Hospital houses 450 beds, and serves a population of approximately 750,000 people in the war-torn region.
“This work is extremely interesting and so gratifying. Don’t be intimidated by the different problems there, by the difficulties of work in Africa,” Dr. Catena said. “Thank you for giving me an opportunity to show what is happening in Nuba. I really appreciate it.”
Dr. Catena was nominated for the inaugural Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity in 2016. Three Armenian doctors traveled to Mother of Mercy Hospital to cover for Dr. Catena during the duration of his trip to Armenia.
