News and Events
A remarkable surgical training opportunity in Nigeria
In the latest edition of WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR 2010, it is stated in the introduction that “Medical knowledge should not be the guarded secret of a select few, but should be freely shared by everyone”.
In Nigeria, thanks to the internet and the high literacy rate in the south west, this situation has shifted to “Appropriate surgical skill should not be the guarded secret of a select few, but should be freely shared by all bonafide medical doctors for the sake of all.”
Doctors are missing a great opportunity for surgical skill acquisition in Nigeria as reported by EystonVaughan-Huxley in the latest issue of Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (Supplement) 2012; 94: 108 – 110.
Here are some excerpts from the article titled: A REMARKABLE SURGICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITY IN NIGERIA
“Yombo's single-handed practice, providing much-needed healthcare for the local population, was an inspiration to Eyston when he visited two weeks prior to beginning core surgical training,”
“Awojobi Clinic (in) Eruwa (ACE) is an incredible pocket of success where the sick know they will be treated well and where, as a trainee, I learnt a huge amount about rural surgery, Nigeria and its people.”
“Perhaps what struck me most was the resourcefulness of the hospital. What a fantastic learning opportunity: one-on-one teaching with a consultant in pretty much all fields of medicine and surgery, with a huge range of pathology, some extreme, all from a man who essentially built and runs a hospital from scratch.”
“With over 60 publications to his name, he has recently been recognised for service to his country and elected as a senior lecturer of bioengineering (in a private university).”
“Yombo tells a story of a retired professor of surgery who, having been shot by armed robbers, attended A&E in this (teaching) hospital to find there were no intravenous fluids. Were it not for a medical student who recognised the patient and was able to resource some fluids from a different (private) hospital, he would have died. Yombo asks: 'l have been making fluids for over 20 years at my own hospital, why can a government hospital of this size not do the same?' “
“I believe there isn’t anyone, regardless of profession or stage of life, who would not learn something and benefit from spending time in Eruwa. ACE is a mentally, physically and medically demanding environment that will change you, challenge you and teach you many lessons in medicine, engineering and life.”
The full paper can be read by clicking below:
A Remarkable surgical training opportunity in Nigeria
The question is “Why is Nigeria incapable of solving her health problems?”
ASGBI 2012 International Surgical Congress
9th – 12th May 2012, Liverpool
Venue: Liverpool Conference Centre
Web: www.asgbi.org.uk/liverpool2012
