Doctors Visit Croatia

* I read with interest John-Thor Dahlburg’s report of our visit to Zagreb and Split, Croatia (Sept. 13). He is a very competent reporter, but I feel his article projected the general attitude that there was strife between the U.S. and Croatian physicians. This was far from true. In any crisis of this magnitude there is an outpouring of organizational groups, people, and even countries that offer aid of some type. Sometimes this aid is not what is needed or duplicates skills already present in the country. Dahlburg was with us when we had just moved to Split and were making professional contacts with their physicians. Our trip was arranged by an excellent and thorough leader, but we still had to make professional contacts with the Croatian physicians on a one-on-one basis. This takes a few days in order for them to learn what we do and what we have to offer and for us to learn what surgical facilities are available and what patient problems are present.

Croatia has very competent physicians and just as we would not turn our hospitals over to visiting physicians, likewise every aspect of their day did not revolve around us. Many patients were helped and much professional interchange was generated by this trip. I have gained a much broader knowledge about Croatia and this terrible conflict. I made new professional friends and hope to have one of the Croatian orthopedists visit the U.S. in March, 1994. Like all projects there are areas of improvement that can be made; however, I consider this interchange a very worthwhile project and hope that it can continue under the leadership of Sonja Hagel.

JOHN K. DRAKE MD

Biloxi, Mississippi