Global surgery volunteerism with operation hernia: a trainee surgeon’s experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20184667Keywords:
Global surgery, Hernia, Operation, Rural, TrainingAbstract
Access to adequate health services is a universal right for individuals and lack of it can have adverse consequences. The elective hernia repair rate in Ghana remains low and a considerable number of inguinal hernias still present as emergencies. Operation hernia is a charitable, UK-based organization that supports the healthcare infrastructure in Ghana through the provision of elective hernia repairs to prevent complications. Mesh repairs are carried out using sterilized, affordable mesh which is made of polyester and is a cheaper alternative to the expensive, commercial mesh. In November 2017 Operation hernia sent two teams of Surgeons and scrub nurses to work in two hospitals in Ghana. This was a successful mission that resulted in more than 150 successful hernia repairs. This article is written by a full-time general surgical ST6 Registrar detailing her first experience as a volunteer surgeon in Volta Regional Hospital in the town of Ho and the rewards reaped from this global surgical volunteerism experience.
References
Kingsnorth AN, Oppong C, Akoh J, Stephenson B, Simmermacher R. Operation Hernia to Ghana. Hernia. 2006;10:376-379
WHO. World Health Statistics 2015. World Health Organization. Available at http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2015/en/
Sanders DL, Porter CS, Mitchell KCD, Kingsnoth AN. A prospective cohort study comparing the African and European hernia. Hernia. 2008;12:527-9.
Kingsnorth A, LeBlanc K. Hernias: inguinal and incisional. Lancet. 2003;362:1561-71.
Beard JH, Oresanya LB, Ohene-Yeboah M, Dicker RA, Harris HW. Characterising the global burden of surgical disease: a method to estimate inguinal hernia epidemiology in Ghana. World J Surg. 2013;37(3): 98-503.
Tongaonkar RR, Reddy BV, Mehta VK, Singh NS, Shivade S. Preliminary multicentric trial of cheap indigenous mosquito-net cloth for tension-free hernia repair. Indian J Surg. 2003;65:89-95
Clarke MG, Oppong C, Simmermacher R, Park K, Kurzer M, Vanotoo L, Kingsnorth AN. The use of sterilised polyester mosquito net mesh for inguinal hernia repair in Ghana. Hernia. 2009;13:155
Löfgren J, Nordin P, Ibingira C, Matovu A, Galiwango E, Wladis A. Randomized Trial of Low-Cost Mesh in Groin Hernia Repair. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(2):146-53.
Raykar N, Alkire BC, Shrime MG, Weiser TG, Bickler SW, Rose JA, et al. Global access to surgical care: A modeling exercise. Lancet Glob Health. 2015:3(6):e316-23
The Associations of Surgeons in Training. Awards, Bursaries and Prize. ASiT. Available at https://www.asit.org/resources/awards-bursaries-and-prizes.
