N.Z. Doctor Works In Ethiopia

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30759, 25 May 1965, Page 7

N.Z. Doctor Works In Ethiopia

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was grateful to the people of New Zealand for gifts they had made through C.0.R.5.0. to help the work of a New Zealander, Dr. R. H. J. Hamlin, who since 1959 had been consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Princess Tsahai Memorial Hospital, on the outskirts of Addis Ababa. Queen Elizabeth, who visited the hospital earlier this year, conferred the 0.8. E. on Dr. Hamlin for his “unremitting work for the welfare of the women of Ethiopia, particularly in his fight against the scourge of fistula, a name for the almost incredible injuries suffered by thousands of Ethiopia’s young mothers in childbirth unattended by midwives,” said the national secretary of C.0.R.5.0. (the Rev. H. G. Dixon). Dr. Hamlin, who was born in Napier, was described by Mr Dixon as “one of New Zealand’s most distinguished men.” A graduate of the University of New Zealand, he took his M.A. degree with honours, and in 1941 became a gold medallist in obstetrics, gynaecology, and medicine. He also holds the degrees, M. 8., Ch.B. (N.Z.), and F.R.C.O.G. (London). He saw war service as a sur-

geon-lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Navy, and subsequently held appointments in obstetrics and gynaecology in London, Sydney, and Hong Kong, before being appointed to his present position in Addis Ababa. Instruction in midwifery had occupied much of Dr. Hamlin’s time in Ethiopia, said Mr Dixon, but it was as a pioneer in the treatment and cure of childbirth injuries that he had received international acclaim for the new techniques which he had introduced. Gifts from Hie people of New Zealand had enabled C.0.R.5.0. to send grants i totalling more than £4006 to help Dr. Hamlin in his work • at the hospital, Mr Dixon said. ■ Acknowledging a recent gift . of £750, Dr. Hamlin had writ- , ten: “Please tell your vice-pat-rons (the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition) and your Vice-Regal patron (the Governor-General) that the magnificent help which C.0.R.5.0. has given already in these last three years is known personally to the Emperor Haile Selassie, and that an important degree of good will between New Zealand and Ethiopia is truly being built up because of C.0.R.5.0.’s help to this cause. “The Emperor gave me £3OO three months ago, saying: ‘Dr. Hamlin, I thank you from my heart for your generous services to my people. May your work long continue.’ “To be able to continue this

■ work is our constant anxiety. ■ It is a great challenge and one which would be entirely hope- : less without New Zealand’s help. “The worry about how to meet toe costs of treating toe 120 penniless patients who come here every year, destitute and in pain—many on foot from remote mountain villages hundreds of miles away—has been, each year,

. my daily anxiety, and then a t letter comes from New Zea- ■ land, from C.0.R.5.0., with toe > good news that I can carry on for a further 12 months.” i Dr. Hamlin had many times > paid his patients’ expenses out i of his own salary, said Mr • Dixon. C.0.R.5.0. would like i to give more help, but that i would depend on toe response ito toe national appeal for , funds on Saturday. Mav 29