On June 19-21, 2017, Mission: Restore hosted the 2nd Annual East Africa Regional Training (EART) on reconstructive surgery and post-operative care in partnership with Coast General Hospital, Smile Train, and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). The conference was made possible thanks to our sponsors: Smile Train, Acelity, Allergan Foundation, Integra Foundation, GSM Systems and Sientra.
70 participants from 11 different countries and representing 24 different hospitals across Africa came together in Mombasa, Kenya to complete 27 hours of training. 30% of participants were women. Countries represented included Kenya, Tanzania (mainland & Zanzibar), Rwanda, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ethiopia, UK, and US. The training also included nurse participants from Mombasa, Kenya and Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania on the first day of training, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary teams. Click here to see highlights from our 2017 EART Report.
The three-day training consisted of panel discussions, in-theater operative case observations, lectures, interactive discussions, workshops and case studies centered on burn and wound management, cleft care, and other reconstructive surgical techniques. In addition to addressing surgical skill sets, sessions also focused on larger discussions of hospital systems management, professional development, and how to measure patient outcomes, and overall success. Participants observed seven operative cases, including a cleft lip revision, post-burn contracture releases, and skin graft procedures. The Africa Champions Cup was an exciting new aspect of this year’s conference which allowed participants the opportunity to present on their own surgical cases. Three participants went home with Africa Champions Cup awards including: Dr. Irene Asaba, Dr. Tshimbila Kabangu, and Dr. Maulid Abdallah Khamis.
“As surgeons we must ask the questions, “What went well? and What went wrong?” So we can discover how we can do better” explained Dr. Alizadeh. The East Africa Regional Training asked surgeon participants to keep these questions in mind as they move forward in their careers, as well as offered them the opportunity to share knowledge and network with fellow surgeons across borders. With this goal in mind, Mission: Restore launched its newest program, the Operating Together Microgrant at the event. This program (open to all participants and partners of Mission: Restore) enables surgeons from across Africa to visit and learn from one another, while sharing best practices across the region.
Mission: Restore is excited for a year of continued collaboration with surgeon participants as well as looking forward to EART 2018!
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