Introducing Dr Wendemegagen

An example of a foot with dramatic nodules that makes wearing a shoe difficult. Shaving off these nodules allows the patient once the wound has healed to be able to wear a shoe and start the rehabilitation work. Special thanks to Dr Paul Matts for permission to use all his excellent photographs

Dr Wendemagegn, or “Wendy” to those of us Brits who can’t pronounce his name confidently, is the Consultant Dermatologist at Bahir Dar University. He has been providing expert medical support for the Podo patients in Debra Markos in his spare time. He has been addressing some of their more challenging medical and surgical issues.

Dr Wendemegagn, Dermatologist

There has been nervousness about operating on these patients in the tropics with fears that they would not heal or would develop infections but Wendy has been having success in removing some of the hard nodules that get in the way of shoe wearing and progress. The patients are thrilled with the outcome.

“I had been worried that surgery would create longstanding ulcers but Wendy is proving my
wrong and the patients are doing well” Dr Claire Fuller