The Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network (ChOSEN) is actively recruiting volunteer cataract surgeon ophthalmologists, ophthalmic surgical assistants, and surgical nurses for their upcoming eye surgery projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ChOSEN initiated its work in Kinshasa, Congo in 2022. Congo was specifically targeted by ChOSEN because it has > 100 million people with no modern cataract surgery available for public patients and no retina surgery in-country regardless of financial status (patients with financial means needing retina intervention typically travel to Kenya or South Africa for care).

ChOSEN supports a full-time in-country missionary ophthalmologist and operates its own 6,000 square foot clinic with surgical rooms in central Kinshasa. ChOSEN also conducts periodic short- term eye surgical projects into the interior of Congo.

• Dates: Short-term projects are typically 8 total days, which include 5 operating days and three travel days.
• Surgical Equipment / Supplies are mostly Alcon disposable supplies and the ChOSEN clinic in Kinshasa has: 3 Alcon Centurions, 2 Alcon Constellations, 2 Alcon Infinitis, 2 Zeiss Visu 150 microscopes, 3 Alcon Luxor microscopes, 2 BIOM 5 units, 4 Stryker surgical beds, 4 Stryker 830 Surgistools, 2 Tuttanauer autoclaves, and one SciCan STATIM 5000 G4 Cassette Autoclave.
• Clinic Equipment in ChOSEN’s Kinshasa clinic include 2 Zeiss IOL Master 500 units, 2 Zeiss Cirrhus 4000 OCTs, 2 Ellex YAG lasers, a Sonomed A-scan and B-scan unit, 3 Topocon slit lamps with tonometers, and 3 wireless Keeler indirect ophthalmoscopes.
• ChOSEN’s Kinshasa clinic has capabilities of running 4 surgical beds simultaneously (3 cataract and one retina, or 2 cataract and 2 retina stations).
• ChOSEN’s Kinshasa facility is the only place in Congo offering free-of-charge phacoemulsification and retina surgery on public patients. 
• ChOSEN’s in-country medical missionary provides the pre-operative and postoperative care on the patients receiving eye surgery.
• French Bibles are distributed to all surgical patients, and patients are plugged into a local church congregation whenever possible. 
• All travel/transporation/food/hotel are arranged by ChOSEN and your safety is ChOSEN’s priority.
• Hotel accommodations are very good, comparable to a Westin or Embassy Suites, with WI-FI access.
• A typical phaco surgeon would perform on average 12-18 phaco surgeries per operating day during a short-term project.
• The majority of the cataract surgery (60-70%) is done by phacoemulsfication and the remainder by MSICS.
• For cataract surgeons, proficiency in phacoemulsfication is required, whereas proficiency in MSICS is not necessary.
• Fluency in French is unnecessary.

Costs:
ChOSEN requests an all-inclusive (tax-deductible) donation amount from participating ophthalmologists that includes travel/food/lodging/supplies/skilled staff support for the duration of the project and would be approximately:

Congo short-term (one week) project donation amount: 10,000-12,000 USD

If an Ophthalmologist is recently out of residency/fellowship, the ChOSEN board will sometimes make the donation on behalf of the volunteer, particularly if the board believes the volunteer will continue to participate with ChOSEN for many years to come in the future.

If the volunteer is an ophthalmic nurse, tech, or pastor, they are not expected to make a donation to participate (just their time and work).

The above donations made by participating Ophthalmologists fund the participation of the skilled assistants needed to conduct the eye surgery during the project.

LONG TERM OPPORTUNITY:  
If anyone has a calling to serve as a long-term missionary or is considering a long-term missions opportunity, please contact ChOSEN so that ChOSEN’s leadership may speak with you directly regarding such an opportunity in Congo. In particular, if you are a retina specialist, you could become the only full-time (live-in) retina surgeon in Congo and would be well-equipped and supplied to take care of the Congolese poor.

You can find out more about ChOSEN by going to their website: https://www.choseneyemission.com/

If you would like to know more about this opportunity, please contact us at: info@christianeye.net, or ChOSEN at chosenmedical@gmail.com