News In 2020 & Before
In January 2020, the EAGLE team successfully conducted its third surgical course at the University Clinic of Mandalay — the only surgical ENT training course in the entire country. Twelve Burmese colleagues participated, receiving both theoretical instruction and hands-on practice in middle-ear surgery using anatomical specimens.
We are deeply grateful to Zeiss, who provided surgical microscopes from Singapore, making this course possible.
Alongside the training, we performed 39 ear surgeries, many of them complex. With the help of “Ein Herz für Kinder” (A Heart for Children) and the company MED-EL, we were able to donate a Cochlear Implant to a little boy born deaf. Our colleague Dr. Win Htike Kyi performed the implantation successfully in February 2020 — giving another child in Myanmar the priceless gift of hearing.
After the Mandalay course, part of our team traveled to Kalay, where we had worked in 2019. We carried out follow-up examinations on previous patients — all with excellent results. One special highlight was seeing little Lucy, who received a Cochlear Implant last year. She now wears it all day and has begun to speak her first words — a heartwarming success story.
We hope that the COVID-19 crisis will soon subside so we can continue our work in Mandalay and Kalay, and also invite two Burmese colleagues to Germany for advanced training.
Cochlea Implant Project for children born deaf - the Angelika Wagner Project
In Myanmar, most children born deaf never have the chance to hear or speak. In contrast, in Europe early Cochlear Implantation allows children to live normal, independent lives.
In memory of Angelika Wagner, our dear colleague and anesthesiologist who accompanied us on many missions to her beloved Burma, we aim to establish a center for deaf children — the Angelika Wagner Project. Our vision is to help these children gain hearing, communication, and education — enabling them to lead full lives and perhaps even become doctors themselves one day.
We warmly invite supporters and sponsors to join us in giving these children a future filled with sound and opportunity.
News In 2019
After intensive preparation and with generous support from Zeiss, Kurz, and Spiggle & Theis, who supplied six microscopes and surgical equipment, we successfully conducted another surgery course for 40 Burmese colleagues in Mandalay. The training focused on the theoretical and practical principles of middle-ear surgery, and the participants’ enthusiasm was overwhelming — many requested a follow-up course in 2020.
Following the course, we traveled to Kalay, a town near the Indian border, where a local ENT doctor had requested our support. With a population of around 300,000, Kalay had never before hosted a team of foreign doctors. The warm welcome from our Burmese colleagues and the community was deeply moving.
The interest among the population was extraordinary: over 1,300 patients registered for examinations by our team. Thanks to close collaboration with local doctors, we managed this enormous task — performing surgeries during the day and consultations in the evenings and weekends. The hospital staff, including nurses and physicians from other departments, worked side by side with us, ensuring that complex cases received the necessary treatment. The teamwork and hospitality were truly inspiring.
We were later informed that all operations were successful, and we have been invited to return in 2020. This mission once again demonstrates the sustainability and long-term impact of our work. Continued education of local colleagues and improved patient care remain vital, and in the field of ear surgery, our collaboration has become a model for Myanmar’s developing healthcare system.
News In 2018
Visitation and education of two Burmese colleagues in Traunstein
From May 18th to May 30th, 2018, at the invitation of EAGLE-ENT, Burmese doctors Dr. Myo Myat Maung and Dr. Han Min Htut visited Traunstein to receive advanced training in hearing aid technology. With the generous support of Seifert Company, they gained practical experience in Munich’s laboratories, learning how to produce and fit ear molds for hearing aids.
At Seifert’s Traunstein branch, Mr. Pöpsel and his team demonstrated the principles of analogue and digital hearing-aid adjustments, ensuring the doctors understood how to tailor devices to patients’ needs. Under the supervision of Dr. Eberhard Biesinger, both visitors also observed surgical and non-surgical ENT treatments at the hospital and ENT center in Traunstein.
The training’s goal was to equip them to independently adjust and program hearing aids upon returning to Myanmar — enabling them not only to care for their own patients but also to train other doctors and technicians. This will significantly expand access to hearing aids across the country, which until now has been limited mainly to Mandalay and Yangon. Thanks to Seifert’s continued generosity, the necessary tools and materials for hearing-aid production have already been shipped to Myanmar.
Beyond the professional exchange, the doctors enjoyed Bavaria’s hospitality. Perfect weather made for wonderful excursions to the nearby mountains, Salzburg, and traditional beer gardens. The EAGLE team in Munich organized a memorable day exploring the city’s cultural highlights and the BMW Museum, and a special thanks goes to BMW Schnitzer in Freilassing. Co-owner Charly Lamm delighted the guests with an introduction to the world of racing — an evening they will not forget.
With their “excess baggage” of new knowledge and experiences, the doctors returned to Yangon on May 31st. We are already preparing our next EAGLE mission in January 2019, which will include a surgical training course and supervised operations in Kalay, near the Indian border.
News in 2017
Video: Thandwe and Mandalay - November 2017
Visit from Prof. Khin Khin Phyu, Chief Physician of the ENT Clinic in Mandalay
From 19.03. until 10.04.2017 EAGLE invited Prof. Khin Khin Phyu to visit and train in the Landeskrankenhaus Salzburg (ENT Department) and Traunstein. Prof. Khin Khin Phyu is the Chief Physician of the ENT Clinic in Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar.
Thanks to the intensive collaboration with Prof. Dr. Gerd Rasp, director of the ENT-Clinic at the Landeskrankenhaus Salzburg and Dr. Biesinger and co-workers, she was intensively trained in microsurgery of the ear, including the middle ear- and cochlea-implants. In Myanmar, there are currently only a few colleagues who are able to perform middle-ear surgery.
The visit of Prof. Phyu was a great success on both sides. Not only did she learn a lot, but the future work for our team was placed on a fertile and sustainable basis
Implementation of the newborn hearing screening in Thandwe in January 2017
In January 2017, we — Dr. med. univ. Melanie Vogl (29) and Dr. med. univ. Benedikt Biesinger (26) — set off from Munich to Yangon, Myanmar, between finishing medical school and beginning our professional careers. In our luggage: the Oto-Read Screener, a device used for early detection of hearing impairment in newborns and young children.
We began our journey with two weeks of travel through the country, supported by Stiftunglife, meeting local students who receive scholarships through the foundation. In Magwe, we met Aung Ko Chit, a medical student who gave us insight into Myanmar’s medical education system. In Mandalay, we met our local contact Khin San, nurse May Zin Theint, and several nursing students, who kindly guided us through Mandalay General Hospital. Over tea, they shared stories about their studies, families, and daily life. What began with shy curiosity soon turned into a lively exchange about medicine, culture, and friendship.
The next day, Dr. Win Hitke Kyi, who had previously visited Salzburg, and Prof. Khin Phyu, head of the ENT department, welcomed us warmly. Dr. Win showed us his hospital, family, and favorite corners of Mandalay. Later, two young ENT doctors joined us and spoke candidly about their experiences during the years of military dictatorship, including secretly establishing a forbidden university library. After sharing dinner with half the department, we said goodbye as friends, promising to return.
Our main project awaited us in Ngapali, where we planned to train nurses to use the Oto-Read Screener. The device works by inserting a small silicone-tipped probe into the ear canal, sending a sound signal, and recording the echo to assess middle and inner ear function — a standard test for all newborns in Germany.
The initiative was organized by Oliver Esser, a local chef deeply engaged in community work, who coordinated with the management of the Thandwe Clinic. Posters across town announced the program, and Oliver even informed the regional health minister. Training progressed quickly: within two hours, five nurses were confidently operating the device, practicing on one another and on us. We provided illustrated manuals, maintenance guides, spare parts, and arranged a follow-up session to answer questions and screen the first children.
When we arrived the next day, the waiting area was full of children in blue-and-white uniforms. Thanks to Oliver, the English kindergarten Mami Su had spread the word, and around 20 children arrived for free hearing tests. To our surprise, there were no tears — only curiosity and excitement. The children patiently took turns, watching their friends get tested and proudly presenting their own ears. Afterward, they thanked us shyly in English or Burmese, their faces painted with Thanaka paste.
We used the opportunity to explain the importance of early screening to parents and teachers. The clinic will now dedicate one day per week to newborn hearing tests, encouraging families to bring siblings and friends. Our long-term hope is to see this screening included as a standard check in Myanmar’s mother-and-child passport.
We are deeply grateful to Oliver and Khet Khet Esser for their hospitality and support, Khin San from Stiftunglife for connecting us with the students, and everyone at Eagle-ENT and the sponsors whose generosity made this project possible.
News in 2016
2016 was dedicated to strengthening our finances, maintaining close contact with our supporters and colleagues in Myanmar, and planning new projects for 2017 while upgrading our surgical equipment.
Thanks to our friends, colleagues, and sponsors, we can begin 2017 with renewed ambition and exciting plans:
Newborn Hearing Screening:
In January, two newly graduated doctors will travel to Thandwe to introduce newborn hearing screening at the local hospital — likely the first of its kind in Myanmar. Early detection of hearing loss is crucial, as untreated deafness in infancy can permanently affect speech and brain development. With early diagnosis, children can be supported through hearing aids, surgery, or Cochlear Implants.Training in Europe:
In March or April, we will again invite a colleague from Myanmar to Salzburg for advanced training, enabling her to pass on her knowledge to local doctors and improve medical standards at home.Next Medical Mission:
In November, we plan another mission in Rakhine State, one of Myanmar’s poorest regions, to perform surgeries and provide hands-on teaching for local doctors in Thandwe and Sittwe.
Myanmar continues to recover from decades of dictatorship and colonial exploitation. Since the 2015 democratic elections, the country has seen hopeful progress, but healthcare still lags behind — the gaps remain vast.
Our small but dedicated team is proud to contribute to this rebuilding process by supporting Burmese colleagues through sustainable teaching and training. Unlike in many regions, our knowledge spreads quickly through a powerful “pyramid effect,” reaching hospitals across the country.
Your donations make this transformation possible. Each contribution directly improves patient care and empowers Myanmar’s doctors to create lasting change.
Thank you for your continued support — it truly changes lives.
News in 2015
In 2014, we successfully established an ENT ward in Thandwe, a coastal town near the popular Ngapali Beach. This location is strategically important, as tourism is steadily growing and access to proper medical care is crucial for the region. Since the ward’s creation, it has continued to function remarkably well. All instruments, including the microscope we brought last year, remain in excellent condition, and both consultations and surgeries have become routine. During our most recent mission, all procedures were carried out successfully and without complications.
Our second destination was Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State. Although an ENT specialist is employed at the local hospital, he lacks the surgical instruments necessary for middle-ear operations. As a result, for the three million residents of Rakhine, there is currently not a single ENT surgeon able to perform essential ear surgeries. Patients suffering from chronic ear infections must simply endure their condition — a disease that, though easily treatable elsewhere, can lead to life-threatening complications, especially among children.
The importance of our Thandwe ENT ward is reflected in the overwhelming demand for treatment. During this year’s mission, over 330 patients from across the state — many traveling two or three days to reach us — came for consultations. We were able to perform 48 complex ear surgeries, restoring hearing and preventing further complications. More than 80 patients are already registered for next year’s mission, demonstrating both the continuing need and the trust we have built in the community.
Motivated by this success, we are committed to ensuring sustainable progress. With the collaboration of our Myanmar colleagues, we aim to establish a permanent center for ear surgery in Rakhine. One of the most dedicated ENT specialists we met in Sittwe has shown great enthusiasm to expand his skills. With support from the University of Salzburg, we plan to invite him to Europe for intensive middle-ear surgical training under Prof. Rasp and our team in Traunstein. We will return in 2016 to evaluate his progress and provide additional guidance if needed, ensuring he can independently perform surgeries and help his community year-round.
None of this would be possible without your generous support. The people of Myanmar are incredibly kind and grateful — their smiles speak more than words. Please continue to support our mission so we can provide lasting, sustainable healthcare and transform even more lives.
News In 2014
Successful installation of an ENT-Station in Thandwe
From October 10th to 25th, our medical team — Lena Fischer (surgery nurse), Dr. Sabine Keiner (ENT Clinic, University Bonn), Petra Wagner and Angelika Wagner (anesthetists from Munich), Dr. Christin Idler, Dr. Christin Heiden, and Dr. Eberhard Biesinger (all from Traunstein) — worked in Thandwe, a key town on Myanmar’s southwest coast. Located in Rakhine State, one of the country’s poorest and most conflict-affected regions, Thandwe faces severe medical shortages — with only one ENT specialist serving the entire state of three million people.
As tourism slowly develops, access to adequate healthcare, especially in ENT, has become vital for the region’s future. Thanks to the tireless organization of Oliver Esser, owner of the Laguna Lodge and long-time humanitarian, our team could begin operations quickly. Between October 12th and 18th, we performed 28 surgeries, examined and treated over 250 patients, and provided medical guidance and follow-up care. Eight deaf or hearing-impaired children and post-lingual adults were referred to our colleagues in Yangon for evaluation regarding potential Cochlear Implant surgery.
The following days were dedicated to postoperative check-ups, nurse training, and the final setup of the newly established ENT unit. After three weeks, we can proudly report that the department in Thandwe is now fully equipped and operational, allowing future teams to begin examinations and surgeries immediately. More than 20 patients are already registered for the next mission.
During our stay, we also met with the German Embassy in Yangon and visited the Mary Chapman Foundation, where more than 400 deaf-mute children receive education and, whenever possible, hearing aids. The Med-El Company, which has supported our mission since 2010, continues to play a crucial role in training speech therapists and providing a comprehensive structure for aural rehabilitation and Cochlear Implant support across Myanmar.
There is an urgent need for the government to appoint a permanent ENT specialist to Thandwe to sustain this progress. Although officials have promised to do so, the upcoming 2015 elections have delayed any reassignments of government-employed doctors. Still, optimism is high — Myanmar’s economy is growing rapidly, especially in Yangon, where real-estate prices now rival those of New York. We hope that the same upward trend will soon extend to healthcare, reaching even the most vulnerable.
We are immensely proud of this successful mission and grateful to all our supporters. Continued funding and collaboration will allow us to build on this achievement and strengthen ENT care for the people of Myanmar.