Operation Smile Rwanda: Surgery Training program
17 images Created 28 Nov 2019
Rwanda has only two reconstructive plastic surgeons and 18 anesthesiologists serve the country of nearly 12 million people.
In Rwanda, much of the surgical demand results from trauma and burn wounds. The lack of adequately trained surgeons forces some patients to wait for years before they’re able to receive treatment, which worsens their conditions and further burdens the health system.
Operation Smile is helping to alleviate this suffering by empowering local health care workers with training and education.
Since 2015, Operation Smile has partnered with the University of Rwanda, Partners In Health and the Rwandan Ministry of Health to host twice-annual surgical training rotations. Since then, more than 25 Rwandan general surgery residents have received hands-on training and education through the rotations.
Dr. Faustin Ntirenganya, head of the surgery department at the University of Rwanda and one of the country’s two plastic surgeons, said: “Don’t fish for us, teach us how to fish — I like that approach. I used to be involved in cleft surgeries and missions with people coming from abroad. The old way of doing business was to come, operate and go. Then I heard Operation Smile was looking at something more sustainable, which meant coming to train residents.”
Dr. Steve Naum, an Operation Smile volunteer surgeon who’s helped spearhead the development of the rotations, said: “We have witnessed some of the graduated residents going out into the district hospitals and continuing to do reconstructive procedures for wounds and burn patients. This is evidence that their experience with Dr. Faustin and with us has given them the training, confidence and interest to continue practicing reconstructive procedures as general surgeons in the community.”
The rotations have also strengthened the skills of residents in anesthesiology, another area of massive need in Rwanda, with five graduates completing the program since its inception.
The future of reconstructive plastic surgery in Rwanda is looking brighter than ever. Through a grant secured by Operation Smile Sweden through the Swedish Postcode Lottery, Operation Smile will help establish the country’s first-ever postgraduate reconstructive plastic surgery certification program in partnership with the University of Rwanda and Rwanda’s ministries of education and health.
The program is scheduled to begin in September 2019 with its first graduates receiving certifications in 2022.
In Rwanda, much of the surgical demand results from trauma and burn wounds. The lack of adequately trained surgeons forces some patients to wait for years before they’re able to receive treatment, which worsens their conditions and further burdens the health system.
Operation Smile is helping to alleviate this suffering by empowering local health care workers with training and education.
Since 2015, Operation Smile has partnered with the University of Rwanda, Partners In Health and the Rwandan Ministry of Health to host twice-annual surgical training rotations. Since then, more than 25 Rwandan general surgery residents have received hands-on training and education through the rotations.
Dr. Faustin Ntirenganya, head of the surgery department at the University of Rwanda and one of the country’s two plastic surgeons, said: “Don’t fish for us, teach us how to fish — I like that approach. I used to be involved in cleft surgeries and missions with people coming from abroad. The old way of doing business was to come, operate and go. Then I heard Operation Smile was looking at something more sustainable, which meant coming to train residents.”
Dr. Steve Naum, an Operation Smile volunteer surgeon who’s helped spearhead the development of the rotations, said: “We have witnessed some of the graduated residents going out into the district hospitals and continuing to do reconstructive procedures for wounds and burn patients. This is evidence that their experience with Dr. Faustin and with us has given them the training, confidence and interest to continue practicing reconstructive procedures as general surgeons in the community.”
The rotations have also strengthened the skills of residents in anesthesiology, another area of massive need in Rwanda, with five graduates completing the program since its inception.
The future of reconstructive plastic surgery in Rwanda is looking brighter than ever. Through a grant secured by Operation Smile Sweden through the Swedish Postcode Lottery, Operation Smile will help establish the country’s first-ever postgraduate reconstructive plastic surgery certification program in partnership with the University of Rwanda and Rwanda’s ministries of education and health.
The program is scheduled to begin in September 2019 with its first graduates receiving certifications in 2022.
