In late October / early November Greg and Mark travelled from the UK and met up with Mugisha in Mbeya, the administrative centre of the Southern Highland Zone in Tanzania. This was the first time we’d seen Mugisha since he’d taken up office as the President of the Medical Association of Tanzania (Hongera sana!). We were there to conduct the final part of the collaborative tripartite programme with GASOC and VRiMS to induct Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital (MZRH) into the AMHSI programme.
We were welcomed so very warmly by Dr Dino (Head of Department), Dr Marco (Nominated AMHSI Centre Lead) and their team. The classroom-based part of the programme was well attended and received, with lots of interesting discussion. As always, it is such a pleasure to begin the process of building these crucial long-term professional relationships and friendships. Following on from the VRiMS workshop, it is also exciting to think how we might further develop our materials going forwards.
We were very impressed with the facilities at Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital. The CSSD (central sterilisation services department), for example, which is so crucial to the AMHSI programme was amongst the best we have seen in Africa. Led by Esupat, the team was very able, dynamic and lovely. We always enjoy working with this wider ‘Surgical Team’ in these projects, who are often overlooked yet so fundamental to surgical care.
The quality of surgical care in MZRH is very high and we enjoyed the opportunities to operate and learn together. Although there were only a limited number of hernias scheduled (there are so many unpredictable factors in Africa), we made the most of these opportunities. It is clear that another very high quality AMHSI has been established. Furthermore, there is great enthusiasm amongst the MZRH team to champion the programme and share it throughout the Southern Highland Zone. We look forward to working closely with them to realise this ambition.
MZRH is also beginning to offer laparoscopic (keyhole surgery) services, and it was a privilege to be invited to help them with this. We are just as passionate about this workstream, and our UK faculty are all experienced trainers. We enjoyed working with Dr Marco and others on a number of cases (diagnostic laparoscopy, laparoscopic appendicectomy and cholecystectomy), offering significant value to their early steps in this journey. It is a testament to the innovation and enthusiasm of the MZRH team that they have managed to get a viable service off the ground. We very much look forward to working with them further in this going forwards; both with improving the equipment and instruments available to them, as well as helping the development of skills and experience.
As always a massive thankyou to our hosts, for such an enjoyable and productive time together. Each little step we take together helps us realise our fundamental aim of redressing the gross healthcare inequality our global population faces.