Following on from the successes in Sierra Leone, Mark and Lesley travelled to Dar es Salaam via Ghana and Ethiopia (quite a marathon) and on to Dodoma. Louise and Greg completed the team of four, joining them from the UK. A very busy and exciting 2 week schedule awaited.
They revisited Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital. Despite best efforts during the original TNMHP Phase 1 recruitment in March 2020, we failed to establish a mesh hernia service in this centre. There is always much nuance to such things, but a significant barrier was the difficulties we faced of providing a suitable autoclave. Sourcing in country was impossible at the time and importing one following our visit failed miserably – it may well still be sitting in the docks in Dar es Salaam! With our return having been delayed by COVID, this time however, we came prepared – bringing one with us. In that time, the hospital has also undergone several impressive upgrade projects, with improved theatres, a modern ICU and new Emergency Department.
The induction went well and we flexed the programme to fit in with the hospital’s standing schedule and commitments. Whilst perhaps not ideal, the local team’s enthusiasm paired with the adaptability of the SWIFTSS faculty carried things through admirably. On conclusion we are confident that another high quality, sustainable and affordable mesh hernia service has been established. This is what SWIFTSS is all about – enabling local services to grow by providing opportunity, support, training and some basic infrastructure. Our thanks to Dr Mbelle (centre lead) and all the team at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital. As a busy training centre, success here potentially has significant longer term implications for the growth of this project.
We then said goodbye to Lesley (travelling onwards to another project in Malawi) and Louise (returning to the UK), with Greg and Mark staying to support a Laparoscopic Workshop at Benjamin Mkapa National Hospital (BMH) and then attending the Tanzania Surgical Association Annual Conference.
It was an honour to support Dr Kondo, a pioneer for Tanzanian surgical development, in this 3 day workshop looking to ‘raise the upper bar’ of surgical care in Tanzania. In contrast to much in Tanzania, BMH is an ultra modern healthcare facility, a talisman of what can be possible. We were invited to give a number of presentations including ‘UK experience’, ‘Laparoscopic Colorectal Services’ and ‘Pitfalls in Laparoscopic Surgery’. We enjoyed overseeing the simulation training and also supported the live operating with a number of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies and the first Laparoscopic Hernia Repair with TNMHP mesh performed. Another significant landmark for the project.
The TSA conference, hosted at St Gasper Conference centre was an enjoyable and insightful meeting. Mark had the opportunity to present an update on the TNMHP, 4 years on from the meeting when the ‘Muheza Approach’ was shared and the original TNMHP proposal was made and approved. The presentation went very well catalysing significant further interest in the project.
This concluded a packed itinerary and what has been another very productive, successful and enjoyable visit to Tanzania. Massive thanks to all those that have enabled this visit, both in the UK and in Tanzania. We are honoured and privileged to work with you all.