Operation International volunteers describe surgical missions in Ethiopia, Uganda and Myanmar; Sept. 5 gala set in Southampton

Operation International volunteers told listeners that the nonprofit has grown from a three-person effort into roughly 27 specialty teams that stage prearranged surgical missions in under-resourced hospitals around the world.

"Our goal is to make sure we provide free health, free surgical ical healthcare to wherever it's needed," said Dr. Rajes Patel, a member of the organization who described joining the effort after moving to the East End in the late 1990s. Patel said early missions were improvised — teams sometimes cannibalized broken anesthesia machines to create one functioning unit — and the group organized over time to bring more personnel and equipment.

Patel described how teams coordinate with local hospital administrators to prepare operating rooms and often leave a large share of equipment behind. "We leave behind probably 80 90% of what we take for the hospital there," he said, adding that training local clinicians and establishing supply relationships are central to making the work sustainable.

Host Jim Vtos and co-host Dr. Osma Rashid urged listeners to consider the program’s broader context. Vtos began the show by reading a New York Times passage about the Hamptons’ seasonal economy and the region’s dependence on immigrant labor; the discussion framed the segment as a local reminder that residents can mobilize resources for global health work.

Speakers emphasized that Operation International is not formally affiliated with larger emergency-response groups. "The only connection that we have is the intent to do good," Patel said when asked about links to Doctors Without Borders, noting that his organization typically focuses on scheduled, nonemergency surgical care rather than rapid disaster response.

Panelists recounted clinical examples from recent missions. Vtos and Patel described a case in Ethiopia where brought equipment allowed a surgical team to treat a child with peritonitis who otherwise faced delays while supplies were sourced across the region. Patel said teams also began supporting orphanages adjacent to partner hospitals, supplying mattresses, water wells and solar power in some locations, and that the group has a base of operations near Rakai, Uganda.

To support continued missions, the hosts announced a fundraising gala scheduled for Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Greek church in Southampton. Organizers said a signup link will be shared but did not provide registration details in the broadcast.

The broadcast concluded with a preview of a second episode that will provide more detail on preparing mission teams, and with production credits that cite the New York State Council on the Arts and state support.

Next steps: the program said more on-the-ground logistics and a return episode are planned; listeners seeking to attend the Sept. 5 event should look for the promised sign-up link or contact the organizers (registration details were not specified during the show).