Passion for volunteer work in Kenya and sustainability in ophthalmology.
Interview – Dr M. Ronday
Photo taken in Kenya: Dr M. Ronday (left) and Dr J. Ongkosuwito (right)
Marjolein Ronday is a dedicated ophthalmologist with a deep-rooted love for volunteer work. Her love for Africa, Kenya in particular, is reinforced by her Kenyan husband. Marjolein is not only an ophthalmologist, but also a pioneer in the field of sustainability in ophthalmology. She combines her medical expertise with a vision for sustainable care, performing phacoemulsification surgeries in Kenya annually and exchanging knowledge with local healthcare providers.
The road to ophthalmology and Africa
Marjolein’s journey into ophthalmology began with her ambition to become a doctor and her desire to work abroad. In 1983, she had the opportunity to go to America for a year, where she met many African students, including John, who would later become her husband. These encounters reinforced her desire to make a difference in Africa after completing her training. Marjolein knew that as an ophthalmologist she could achieve a great deal in Africa.
“In Kenya at the time, there was only one ophthalmologist for every million people”.
She realised that she could really make a difference in this field. “What you don’t actually realise beforehand when you become an ophthalmologist is that you also make a lot of people happy,” she says. When someone comes in blind with cataracts and leaves independently again after a procedure, that is of course fantastic. That happens regularly in Kenya.
Exchanging techniques in Kenya
Since completing her training in 2001, Marjolein has dedicated herself to her work as an ophthalmologist. In addition to her work in the Netherlands, she travels to Kenya annually to perform eye surgery. On every trip, she is accompanied by various Dutch ophthalmologists who teach phacoemulsification, a modern method for cataract surgery, to Kenyan ophthalmologists. Marjolein emphasizes that it is not just about the number of operations they perform in Kenya, but above all about transferring knowledge and skills. “We learn the Small Incision Cataract technique that they use in Kenya, and in turn we teach them phaco”.
She specifically invested in the Oertli CataRhex 3. Marjolein explains: “I quite deliberately chose the CataRhex 3 because it is a very small, handy device”.
“You simply take the CataRhex 3 with you as hand luggage on the plane”.
Marjolein adds: “When I went to Kenya for the second time with the CataRhex, I had forgotten to bring the pole on which the device hangs. We had to improvise. So we placed the device on a table so we could operate as normal. That is the advantage of it being so small and handy”. “Furthermore, I find it very easy to operate and efficient at aspirating fragments”. “I also find the reusable parts ideal, such as the reusable cassettes and the reusable tubing sets”.
Sustainability in ophthalmology
Sustainability is an important theme in Marjolein’s work, both in the Netherlands and in Kenya. She notes that there is far less waste in healthcare in Africa, which she believes is a valuable lesson for Western countries.
“In Africa, you have about one bucket of waste after a day in the operating theatre; in the Netherlands, you easily produce eight large bin bags of waste every day”.
“In the Netherlands, we throw everything away after a single use,” she says. “In Africa, they reuse blades and other instruments after sterilisation, which works fine.”
Marjolein aims to promote more sustainable practices in the Netherlands as well, such as using reusable medical instruments and reducing the amount of waste in operating theatres.
“In the Netherlands, we use disposable drapes to cover the patient during surgery. For some patients, the drape reaches almost to their knees. Completely unnecessary. And on top of that, they are disposable drapes. Why don’t we simply use washable cotton drapes, surgical gowns and caps? That saves a huge amount of waste”.
Marjolein is an active member of the Sustainable Ophthalmology working group of the NOG, where she helps develop guidelines for more sustainable working. “We are currently looking at what the basic cataract set is that should actually be sterilised, so that you don’t have too much in such a set,” she explains. At Bergman Clinics, where she also works, she is involved in implementing the Green Deal, which focuses on CO2 reduction.
The impact in Kenya and future plans
Marjolein’s work in Kenya is not without challenges. She often has to deal with limited resources and facilities, but she views these obstacles as opportunities to learn and be creative. She is currently contributing to the realization of a new multi-storey eye clinic. At present, all treatments take place within a single room in the hospital.
She hopes to conduct even more research into sustainable care practices in ophthalmology in the future, both in the Netherlands and in Africa. “I also hope that once the new eye clinic in Kenya is open, we can conduct more research in this field. To demonstrate that reusing certain instruments and materials is safe,” she says.
Marjolein remains passionate about combining her love for ophthalmology, education and sustainability, with the ultimate goal of making a lasting impact in both Kenya and the Netherlands.
Why choose Oertli CataRhex3?
The CataRhex 3 surgical platform from Oertli proves that big things sometimes come in small packages. With extremely compact dimensions and a weight of just five kilograms, the CataRhex 3 phaco device systematically focuses on mobility and portability. Featuring the unique SPEEP pump and trusted easyPhaco technology, the CataRhex 3 is an effective device for simple, safe and efficient operation in ophthalmic surgery.
Make the difference – with the CataRhex 3 phaco machine from Oertli.
