Aga Khan, Muhimbili hospitals to conduct free reconstructive surgeries on 25 women

Dar es Salaam. The Aga Khan Hospital has partnered with the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Reconstructing Women International (RWI) to conduct free plastic reconstructive surgeries on 25 women and girls who have suffered deformities from burns, violence, and accidents.

The programme, carried out for the eighth consecutive year, was initiated in January 2016 with the aim of restoring mobility for women and girls from various regions of Tanzania who have experienced movement impairment due to burns

The surgeries will be done during the five-day camp that is expected to be launched on November 28 and completed on December 2, 2023 at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

It will be overseen by a proficient team of international plastic surgeons from the United States, Canada, and Europe in collaboration with the Aga Khan Hospital, MNH, Bugando Medical Centre, and Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar.

Since its initiation in 2016, with surgeons from the United States, Canada, and Europe working closely with Tanzanian medical professionals, the health camp has performed 239 surgeries, including breast cancer surgery, at no cost.

The Head of the Department of Surgery at Aga Khan Hospital, Dr Athar Ali, told reporters yesterday that the programme aims to restore physical function to empower and enhance the quality of life of women and girls in Tanzania.

“During the last seven camps between 2016 and 2022, 16 plastic surgeons, general surgeons, and resident students from different public hospitals (Muhimbili National Hospital, Bugando Hospital, Mnazi Mmoja Hospital Zanzibar, and Aga Khan) have been trained through this programme,” he said.

Plastic surgeon and RWI team leader, Dr Andrea Pusic, said the long partnership has resulted in a significant increase in local plastic surgery expertise and capacity. “Together, we have also been able to provide care to hundreds of injured women and girls and improve their physical function and appearance.”

Consultant General Surgeon at the Aga Khan Hospital, Dr Aidan Njau, said the programme will specifically help women and girls, as they are the group most affected by injuries stemming from accidents or acts of violence, which expose women to the risk of social stigma and isolation.

“Following such injuries, affected women may find themselves unable to carry out domestic duties or pursue employment outside the home, potentially leading to a descent into poverty and a lack of access to essential medical services,” he said.

He urged Tanzanians to take advantage of the treatment, which is normally ‘very expensive.’

As part of this initiative, the international surgeons will actively engage with Tanzanian healthcare professionals, providing hands-on demonstrations of various plastic surgery techniques to enhance local expertise in plastic reconstructive surgery.

The Head of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery at MNH, Dr Edwin Mrema, said the programme helps to build reconstructive surgery expertise through the training of local surgeons, which are few in Tanzania.

“It builds expertise for local and even medical students. This will, in a few years, increase the number of plastic or reconstructive surgeons in the country. As of now, there are eight, of whom one is in Mwanza and the rest are in Dar es Salaam,” he said.

The CEO of Aga Khan Hospital, Mr Sisawo Konteh, thanked the donors for their financial contributions to support the surgeries that enable the hospital to cover transport costs, accommodation, and meals for patients coming from outside of Dar es Salaam.