Rwanda: Medical Doctors Benefit From Training in Hernia Surgery
By Elias Hakizimana.
At least 31 general practitioners who were recommended by the Ministry of Health (MoH) are being trained on hernia surgery under the support of Rwanda Legacy o Hope.
Reverend Osee Ntavuka, UK-based Rwandan who is the Founder and Legal Representative of Rwanda Legacy of Hope said they help in training and treating different diseases, also providing surgery services in selected public hospitals in Rwanda.
“These medical doctors currently work for public district hospitals and they need the skills in hernia treatment, especially surgery. We plan to train 200 general practitioners who are involved in general surgery,” Ntavuka said.
Ntavuka said that trainees who benefited from a two-day theoretical session that started from Friday, February 24th to Saturday, February 25th, 2023, the next step will be a practical session in five hospitals namely Musanze, Rwamagana, Kabgayi, CHUB and Kabutare.
“In all these hospitals, we plan to operate 351 patients from Monday to Sunday. Trainees include three university students who want to specialize in hernia surgery,” Ntavuka said.
A team of 32 medical specialists in hernia surgery from abroad include lecturers and other 25 medical specialists who will be supporting them.
In March 2024, another team of medical experts from abroad is expected in Rwanda as the initiative is organized twice a year.
“We also have gynecologists who came last year, they will go to support in treating women with infertility issues in Nyarugenge district hospital, urologists and eye care medic experts who will give interventions in CHUK,” he said.
The training by the experts helps the country to remain with the skills that will help other generation of local medic experts according to Rev. Osee Ntavuka.
Last year, Rwanda Legacy of Hope brought medic equipment worth Rwf140 million, later alone in September, they brought other equipment worth Rwf 60 million while this round they brought medic equipment worth Rwf 250 million.
Results
“in September last year, the patients who were operated had lung problems and they managed to speak after years of struggle with speaking impairment, they used to be referred to Nairobi Kenya, paying $10,000 but here they paid only $6,000 with local health insurance
The initiative is under the public hospitals with the agreement with MoH.
Dr. Ralph Lorenz, MD, President of German Surgeons for Africa explained that hernia is a disease which is affecting more males than females, and that it causes pain and discomfort as symptoms. He said that a man can develop hernia 4 times during his lifetime when you count on the population.
“The causes of hernia is genetic in males than females, sometimes umbilical or Para-umbilical,” Dr. Ralph said, explaining that the disease is curable once the patients undergoes early treatment.
According to Dr. Bellarmin MATUNGO, a medical doctor and general practitioner at Gatunda hospital, Nyagatare district in the Eastern Province said that the training on hernia surgery is very important for medical general practitioners.
He explained that the disease happens when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall. “This can be caused by constipation or heavy cough when a patient uses extra efforts,” he explained.
Dr. Bellarmin said that sometimes a patient can suffer heavy risks including losing life when not treated earlier.
“We are acquiring different techniques to operate hernia, including hernia mesh surgery, a technique used to provide permanent reinforcement to the repaired hernia,” Matungo explained.
Dr. Vanessa MUGEMANYI, a general practitioner in Rutongo hospital said that a big gap was that many hernia cases they observed used to be referred at the high level hospitals because their basic knowledge of hernia from university was limited to the diseases discovery at consultation stage.
“Now, with this training, we will try to minimize the gap due to the skills acquired and we will manage to help patients to get treatment at the district hospitals without extra movements to the referral hospitals.” She said.
Other experts say that hernia usually develops between a chest and hips and, in many cases causes no or very few symptoms, although a patient may notice a swelling or lump in tummy (abdomen) or groin.
Rwanda Legacy of Hope is a registered Christian organization based in Rwanda since 2011, to provide support through a Social Welfare Programme in Rwanda aimed at improving living conditions by providing health care and better educational and training opportunities.
theinspirerpublications@gmail.com
Leave a Reply