RICHLAND, WA – SIGN Fracture Care International has been helping developing countries since 1999. They started sending doctors around the world necessary equipment to perform orthopedic surgeries, stabilizing patients with broken bones.
As of last week, the Richland-based non-profit is serving 55 countries around the world. Ukraine is the newest addition, they focus on helping doctors in countries with growing conflict.
Monday, members of the SIGN engineering team explained the need for these devices.
Randall Huebner, a board member, says they’ve been collecting these devices from hospitals across the United States. They ensure the products are clean and create kits that can be sent to doctors abroad.
With one shipment out, the non-profit is getting ready to ship out the second batch of surgical equipment.
Each bag they create contains materials for 20 people and is specific for gunshot wounds and blast injuries.
Implants they send out are specialized to fix long bone fractures and external fixtures are to treat soft tissue injuries. The large inventory of rods is quite expensive to produce which is why the non-profit takes donations from hospitals to repurpose old rods so they can be sent out to hospitals and doctors in Ukraine.
Huebner told me about the C-Arm they incorporate in these kits they send out. “Basically the same surgery you would have if you were injured here in Richland, Washington if you’d broken your leg,” he says, “but one difference is we developed a system for developing countries to be able to put the screws in without sophisticated x-ray equipment.”
The C-Arm was first introduced in 1999 to help doctors in developing countries perform those surgeries without the need for an X-Ray machine.
Doctors in Ukraine told the organization to avoid sending volunteers, instead, they’re working with local organizations to continue getting equipment and help.
Jeanne Dillner, the CEO, says they constantly have conversations about the different organizations they can help.
“We will be continuing to seek opportunities to work with perhaps organizations like Emergency, Doctors without Border. Samaritan’s Purse has OR,” she says, “and operating room inside of it, so we’re keeping tabs on those opportunities as well.”
It’s evident their work continues to save and change the lives of people affected by war and destruction around the world. Jeanne and Randall said to visit their website for further information on getting involved and helping countries in need.
