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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Massive invesment
- Juan Marin (3 July 2005)
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Medical Training in Developing Countries
- Ronald L. Huckstep (3 August 2005)
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Juan Marin, Consultant surgeon Day surgery unit. Hospital Universitario Valme, 41700 Seville, Spain
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I read with great interest this open letter to Tony Blair. I fully agree with Prof. Chris Lavy´s letter. Two months ago during the the opening lecture of the 6th International Congresss on Ambulatory Surgery that was held in Seville (Spain): Prof. Ignatius Kakande from Makere University, Kampala, Uganda made a strong impression on more than 1.000 delegates describing the challenges faced by surgeons working in Africa, in countries where the most basic requierements suffer from chaotic failures: "scarciy of trained manpower and poor infrastructures, inadequacy of sundries, abundance of communicable diseases, endless wars, poverty, illiteracy and poor means of transport" (1). Prof Kakande made a plea for help from the international surgical community. "If have anything you are throwing away, please think of us, we will probably be able to use it". Prof Kakande received a standing ovation. The only way to assist our colleagues in Africa is by massive investment. The social benefits of "training African surgeons in Africa, for Africa, and by African surgeons" could be huge. This should be the task of the leaders at the G8 summit. (1)The challenges facing surgeons in Africa and how they affect ambulatory surgery. I. Kakande, Kampala, Uganda. Cir. May. Amb. 2005, Vol 10 (supl 1): 14-14 Competing interests: None declared |
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Ronald L. Huckstep, Emeritus Professor of Traumatic and Orthpaedic Surgery University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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EDITOR - I should like to support the comments of Professor Chris Lavy of Malawi in his 'Open letter to Tony Blair' of 2nd July 2005, BMJ 331:46-47. In particular the importance of training doctors, surgeons and other medical personnel in their own countries should be stressed. If they are enticed to rectify shortages of medical staff in economically rich countries many never return to the places where they are most needed. Professor Lavy also points out the need for British universities to second medical staff to developing countries to help with training and, particularly, to train doctors in their own environment rather than in sophisticated centres. The medical conditions in the tropics and subtropics are often very different from those in economically rich countries, as are the methods of treatment. The organization 'World Orthopaedic Concern', which was founded in Oxford in September 1973, recognises the need for appropriate training of surgeons, doctors and paramedical personnel in their own countries. As a result there are now over 2,000 volunteer orthopaedic surgeons throughout the world who visit developing countries to train local doctors and surgeons and often take their own registrars for further training. Local doctors trained overseas, who do return, have usually learnt sophisticated and expensive procedures inappropriate to economically poor countries. The Website www.worldortho.com provides information on World Orthopaedic Concern and includes over 3,000 illustrations for training medical students, doctors and paramedical staff in developing countries. Ronald L. Huckstep, emeritus professor of traumatic and orthopaedic surgery,
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia,
Competing interests: None declared 1. Huckstep RL. Challenge of the Third World: Current Orthopaedics (2000) 14,26-33 2. Lavy C. Open letter to Tony Blair on publication of the report of the Commission for Africa Brit. Med J. 2005, 331: 46-47 3. Triu L, Viswanathen S, Huckstep R.L, Sherry E, An orthopaedic Website, www.worldortho.com J. Bone Jt. Surg. Proc.II 1998; 80B: 129 Competing interests: None declared |
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