CAUSE MARKETING
Extreme Make-Over : Prioritizing Pediatric Surgical Services In Africa
By Emily Manjeru
My son had a tonsillectomy at about 7 years of age . I was tense for the one and a half hours he was under the surgeons ’ knife , my mind buzzing with different scenarios and planning everything even the ones we don ’ t say out loud . 8 years later as I work with Smile Train , a global cleft organization that offers safe , timely , quality and comprehensive cleft care , I truly appreciate the value of high quality surgical services . However , in many parts of Africa , access to safe , pediatric surgical and anaesthesia care is a mirage .
Imagine performing surgery on a child using a torch light ! Or warming up cotton wool and stuffing it around a baby so they don ’ t risk hypothermia . Picture an active toddler with a broken leg that needs minor surgery waiting in line for one anaesthesia machine because it ’ s saving a mother in labour undergoing emergency cesarean section .
These aren ’ t stories from a fictional novel . They are real-life experiences of surgical teams who struggle to save lives of children through surgery . I imagine how a child would feel being wheeled along dark , plain corridors with a flickering fluorescent pleading for retirement from a roof that might cave in at any moment . Around them , adults towering over them , pacing about and voicing their frustration over malfunctioning or non-existent equipment . How cranky they must be for being starved an hour prior their surgery only to be turned around for lack of the right size of needle .
It is estimated that 85 percent of children will require some form of surgery before they reach 15 years of age . From a broken limb , a hernia or even cleft , if not addressed early , the child is at risk of disability , missing out on the best childhood experiences of growing up . They would have to brave the heartwrenching bullying , stigma and discrimination as their parents ’ cave under the burden of care .
Determined to change the narrative and shape the destiny for children , global charities Smile Train and Kids Operating Room ( KidsOR ) set out to refurbish more than 30 paediatric operating rooms Africa over the next five years , treating more than 12,000 children . They have so far made dramatic transformations to 12 pediatric theatres in Senegal , Kenya , Ivory Coast , Nigeria , Zambia , Ethiopia , Mozambique , Tanzania , Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo . I call this Extreme Makeover : Pediatric Theatres Edition .
The transformation is jaw-dropping , awakening the inner child in all who walk into the theatre . The walls come alive with bright , colourful balloons and animals that offer optical nourishment to the child and adult alike . Armed with world-class equipment , best suited for pediatric surgical services , the theatre staff have a refreshed zeal to save as many children as they could , in an environment that puts children first . It ’ s a breath of fresh air to say the least .
There ’ s more ... The Smile Train- KidsOR partnership is also supporting a Pediatric Surgery
Scholarship for the training and education of 40 paediatric surgeons across Africa in partnership with the West African College of Surgeons ( WACS ) and the College of Surgeons of East , Central and Southern Africa ( COSECSA ). The organizations ’ commitment to pediatric surgical treatment is worth celebrating in addressing neglected surgical diseases among children .
This wonderful work has faced its
fair share of hurdles . From delays at customs to clear the shipment of equipment , to political instability that slows down the completion process , there is so much to learn from the first year of the experience .
One thing is for sure though , the power of partnerships cannot be understated if we are to strengthen healthcare systems . There is need for political goodwill that puts children first in receiving lifechanging surgery . Civil societies and advocacy groups have a role to play in putting their governments to task where they cause bottlenecks in access to critical services .
Similarly , there needs to be collaboration with government Ministries of health to enhance the preservation of facilities provided as well as capacity building and commensurate renumeration for the healthcare workforce . ■
Emily Manjeru is the Communications Manager for Africa at Smile Train . You can commune with her via mail at :
Emilymanjeru @ gmail . com .
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