Yesterday was the kick-off of Mission: Restore’s first ever East Africa Regional Training in Kenya, bringing together surgeons from 9 countries throughout the region to the University of Nairobi Kenyatta National Hospital. The excitement and conviviality was palpable, as former colleagues and classmates reunited, new friendships were made, and 41 attendees prepared to take part in the inaugural surgical training conference.
After welcoming remarks from Professor Peter Ndaguatha of the University of Nairobi and Dr. Esther Nyambura Njoroge of Smile Train, the participants began their 3-day training with interactive lectures on wound management and skin grafts provided by Drs. Kimani Wanjeri and Dr. Loise Kahoro of the University of Nairobi, and Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh of Mission: Restore.
Professor Pankaj Jani, Secretary General of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and vice chair of the G4 Alliance, further welcomed the participants during the opening night dinner, reminding them of their calling to be changemakers in the face of the daunting unmet global surgical need.
“This training is going to help save 50 lives a year, if not more,” said Dr. Jani.
EART16, co-hosted alongside Smile Train at the University of Nairobi, would not be possible without the generosity of Acelity and the Allergan Foundation, as well as the support of COSECSA.
Come back to our blog tomorrow for a Day 2 recap!
