I participated in the NIKI trip to Iran in April 2009. We visited three universities during my 10-day travel: Universities of Kashan, Zahedan and Kermanshah. As a subspecialist neurosurgeon, my main interests were the treatment of patients with neurological and neurosurgical problems, up-dating colleagues in the recent advances in the filed and establishing collaborations.

In Kashan and Kermanshah my activities were primarily academic and centred around lectures and scientific discussions on topics such as functional neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, brain tumours and general neurosurgery. I also took part in a number of ward-rounds and out patient clinics to see, advise and treat patients.

The trip to Zahedan was particularly valuable given both the level of need and the enthusiasm of the dedicated medical professionals there. Because of the shortage of neurosurgeons, I was impressed to see that the neurologists took a major interest and role in the treatment of neurosurgical patients. My activities included academic lectures and ward-rounds. I also operated on a 9-year-old girl with a large brain tumour who recovered well from the surgery and was able to go home a week later (Fig 1 and 2). Another important activity was to meet the head of Zahedan Univeristy of Medical Sciences and other responsible professionals to discuss how the health service could be improved. I identified the lack of a radiotherapy machine (for treatment of cancer) in the county as a major deficiency and succeeded in obtaining local agreement to correct this as a matter of priority.  

Overall the NIKI trip worked well in increasing collaboration between the medical and scientific experts inside and outside Iran. I will certainly be more than happy to continue my link with NIKI with the aim of mutual learning and advancement between the medical/ scientific community in Iran and that abroad.