VEGALYA VATEVARACHA DOCTOR

Book Details:

• Publisher: Mehta Publishing House

• Author: Damien Brown

• Language: Marathi (Translated from English)

• Edition: 1st Edition

• ISBN: 9789392482458

• Pages: 474

• Cover: Paperback

• Publishing Year: November 2021

• Category: Autobiography

• Translator: Manjusha Mulay

About The Book:
In The Year I Was Here, Damien Brown’s compelling autobiography, we follow the young doctor’s journey to his first posting with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in Africa. What he anticipates as an exciting new chapter soon turns into an overwhelming challenge. The hospital he is sent to is a remote outpost, surrounded by landmines and filled with malnourished children. It is a stark contrast to the comfortable medical environments he was accustomed to.

As the only doctor in a hospital with almost no resources, Damien faces a rapidly escalating crisis. His first shift is marred by an altercation with the health workers—Angolan war veterans who speak no English—who abandon him, leaving him to confront this chaotic situation alone. But it’s not just the medical emergencies that test his limits. The isolation and absurdities of life with only three other volunteers become a part of his daily existence.

Throughout his months in Angola, Mozambique, and South Sudan, Damien is confronted by personal and medical calamities, including a leopard attack, a landmine explosion, and having to perform surgery using rudimentary tools cleaned by fire. However, through his evolving relationships with the local people, his passion for his humanitarian work grows, and he begins to understand the profound impact of the mission.

This heartbreaking and honest account sheds light on the tireless work of medical humanitarian groups and the extraordinary, often eccentric individuals who devote their lives to helping others. The Year I Was Here is a moving testament to the spirit of service, resilience, and the bond between the volunteer and the communities they serve.