Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Health Buzz
As the country celebrates its 44th Independence on Thursday, it is important to highlight the strides made in the health sector in an independent Zimbabwe particularly on surgical care.
Zimbabwe’s health sector has seen significant improvements in recent years owing to the thrust by the Second Republic of ensuring universal access to health.
One such area to record improvements is the field of surgeries. With advancements in technology and increased access to medical resources, more complex surgeries are now being performed in the country with great success.
Until recently, the healthcare system primarily focused on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, often relegating surgical needs.
This resulted in a significant shortfall in skilled surgeons, operating theatres, equipment, and infrastructure requirements for safe surgical interventions.
In 2022, the Government launched the first National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Strategy (NSOAS) 2022-2025 which sought to address challenges Zimbabwe faces in providing timely, affordable, safe and quality surgical services. The objective was to promote access to surgical services from district level, a move which has helped strengthen primary health care.
The strategic document also sought to address infrastructure and equipment related gaps that existed in essential surgical care.
Zimbabwe was the fifth country in the SADC region and 9th in Africa to develop and launch a NSOAS.
The NSOAS is aligned to the National Health Strategy (2021 -2025) which seeks to achieve the highest possible level of health and quality of life for all people in Zimbabwe by 2030.
With this strategy in place, the country has managed to provide Zimbabweans with an option to receive the best surgical care locally while reducing the financial burden on them.
Government also recognised the need to build a skilled workforce capable of handling surgical procedures.
There has been an influx of surgeons over the years, who provided training, mentorship, and knowledge transfer to local medical professionals.
The University of Zimbabwe International Centre for Surgical Simulation in 2022 partnered with Karl Storz, a leading global manufacturer to supply laparoscopic equipment for the training centre at the University in Zimbabwe.
This saw the UZ commissioning laparoscopic equipment for training while hospitals such as Parirenyatwa, Mpilo, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital also received laparoscopic equipment that would enable local surgeons to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis without having to make large incisions on the body.
Laparoscopic surgeries are being performed to date at most of these public hospitals.
The year 2023 was also a milestone year as the country resumed open heart surgeries at Parirenyatwa Hospital after a five-year break.
A team of anesthetists, cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and nurses has been diligently providing open heart surgeries since then, ensuring that patients no longer have to travel to India, South Africa and other countries for the same procedure.
Currently, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is the only facility in both the private and public sectors in Zimbabwe that is equipped to perform open heart surgeries but the Government has indicated plans to decentralise the surgeries to other hospitals across the country.
With the scourge of cancer growing, many Zimbabweans, both young and old have struggled with the disease at some point.
Through the provision of surgical services in public institutions, many have survived.
The case of nine-year old Wayne Mukwevere who was relieved of a 15cm wide cancerous neck mass by a team of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)specialists last year comes to mind.
The young boy’s journey to recovery began with the removal of the huge mass which had stolen his childhood for more than five years. While he undergoes chemotherapy, surgery improved his life significantly.
Not to be left out, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) also made history when it became one of the few health institutions in the country to offer hip surgeries.
As a result of limited expertise in doing these procedures locally and the associated exorbitant costs, many Zimbabweans were travelling to India, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia, among other foreign destinations, for complex medical procedures like organ transplants, corrective orthopaedic hip replacements and knee replacements procedures.
Another milestone was recorded early this year, when three Zimbabwean cardiothoracic surgeons teamed up with a colleague from Spain and successfully carried out a first of its kind extensive uniportal video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).
VATS is a minimally invasive surgical technique where incisions are made in the chest through one of which a thoracoscope, which is a long thin tube with a camera and light at the end, is inserted, allowing the surgeon to view the thoracic cavity inside the chest on a video screen.
Most recently, a team at Parirenyatwa carried out another precocious surgery on 64-year-old Mr Laston Kwinika from Beitbridge, who had lived with a huge growth in his mouth for 17 long years.
Although he lost the better part of his lower jaw, Mr Kwinika’s life is set for a positive change since the doctors have restored most of his oral functionalities that had been lost in those years. The quality of his life will greatly improve.
These are just a few of the life changing surgeries performed in the country in the recent past. Many more remain undocumented.
In addition to the expertise of the medical professionals, the availability of modern medical equipment and facilities has also played a crucial role in the success of surgeries in Zimbabwe. Hospitals and clinics in the country are being equipped with state-of-the-art technology, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and better outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. This has not only improved the quality of care provided to patients but has also increased the success rates of surgeries performed in the country.
Furthermore, the Government’s commitment to improving the health sector in Zimbabwe has also had a positive impact on surgeries. Investments in healthcare infrastructure has helped to create a conducive environment for the practice of surgery in the country.
This has not only benefited patients in need of surgical interventions but has also boosted the confidence of medical professionals in their ability to provide high-quality care.
Overall, the success of surgeries in Zimbabwe can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the expertise of medical professionals, the availability of modern medical equipment, and the Government’s commitment to improving the health sector.
With continued investments in healthcare infrastructure and the training of medical professionals, the country is well-positioned to further improve the quality of care provided to patients undergoing surgery.
As more complex surgeries are successfully performed in the country, the quality of life for many Zimbabweans is bound to improve and the Government will surely achieve its vision of leaving no place and no one behind in the provision of quality health care.
Feedback: rumbidzai.zinyuke@zimpapers.co.zw
