Muhimbili conducts its first spleen surgery

Tanzania has conducted its first spleen surgery to remove the damaged spleen from a patient using a laparoscopic splenectomy procedure.

Available information from the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) shows that, two specialist doctors at the hospital were involved in the surgery.

Whereas it costs Sh37.5 million ($15,000) to conduct the surgery in foreign hospitals, locally it costs Sh4 million.

The surgery which took two hours was led by Dr  Kitembo  Kibwana the digestion system expert in collaboration with other health workers including nurses.

The spleen is a body organ a fist-sized found in the upper left side of the abdomen, next to the stomach and behind your left ribs. Its job is to increase white cells of the blood and to remove the increase of red cells of the blood.

The information further shows, for children spleen produces red cells whereas adults they can live without it.

MNH continues to strengthen its different services including main surgery, investigation and how the hospital offers services in general