Surgery in Malawi - a national survey of activity in rural and urban hospitals
Authors: Lavy, Chris1; Tindall, Alistair1; Steinlechner, Colin1; Mkandawire, Nyengo1; Chimangeni, Sandy1
Source: Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 89, Number 7, October 2007 , pp. 722-724(3)
Publisher: The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Key:
- Free Content
- New Content
- Subscribed Content
- Free Trial Content
- Free Content
- New Content
- Subscribed Content
- Free Trial Content
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: Malawi is a poor country with few doctors. It has 21 district hospitals all of which have operating theatres but none of which has a permanent surgeon. It also has 4 central hospitals, each with one or more surgeons. Most district hospitals are manned by a single doctor and two or more paramedical clinical officers.PATIENTS AND METHODS: All district and central hospitals were visited, and theatre logbooks analysed. All cases performed in 2003 were recorded.RESULTS: In 2003, a total of 48,696 surgical operations were recorded, of which 25,053 were performed in 21 district hospitals and 23,643 in 4 central hospitals. Caesarean section is the commonest major surgical procedure in district hospitals and is performed in approximately 2.8% of all births, compared to 22% in the UK. Very few major general surgical or orthopaedic procedures are carried out in district hospitals.CONCLUSION: This study underlines Malawi's need for more surgeons to be trained and retained.Keywords: AUDIT; SURGERY; MALAWI
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1308/003588407X209329
Affiliations: 1: Beit Cure Orthopaedic Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi
Key:
- Free Content
- New Content
- Subscribed Content
- Free Trial Content
- Free Content
- New Content
- Subscribed Content
- Free Trial Content
Click here for Page Help