ZIMBABWE is poised to become a leading continental training hub for laparoscopic surgery, a type of surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen (tummy) and pelvis without having to make large incisions on the skin.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
This is being made possible through the University of Zimbabwe International Centre for Surgical Simulation following the recent commissioning of laparoscopic equipment from Karl Storz SE & Co. KG, a leading global manufacturer of laparoscopic equipment for the training center at the University of Zimbabwe (U).
PCD Diagnostics is the local representative for Karl Storz servicing the high-tech laparoscopic equipment. UZ Professorial Chair of Surgery Professor Godfrey Muguti said setting up of this training centre comes following a workshop done in 2011 where the need to have latest laparoscopic surgery machines was expressed.
This project came to us after a workshop held in 2011. The workshop was sponsored by Karl Storz. They provided the equipment and facilities for us to hold that workshop. It was very well attended. We invited some world experts to come to the workshop. After that workshop, the Ministry of Health realised how serious the health work force was in Zimbabwe to use this type of equipment. They equipped all their hospitals such as Parirenyatwa, Mpilo, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital formerly Harare Hospital,” Prof Muguti said.
“So when Karl Storz reflected on how well the workshop had gone, and how our Government had responded by equipping its hospitals, they saw it fit for Zimbabwe to be the centre of excellence and that’s how this laboratory comes here. They have been looking for a partner country in Africa to create a centre of excellence.”
The machines, Prof Muguti explained, are for the advancement of laparoscopic surgery in Zimbabwe and Africa.
“It is a joint project for the University of Zimbabwe and Karl Storz Endoskope which is the company that manufactures this equipment and its a world leader in producing this equipment used for what we call ‘key-hole’ surgery for what the ordinary man understands. But in technical terms, especially when we operate on the abdomen, the tummy, it is called laparoscopic surgery.
“But the towers can be used in different types of situations. They can be used in neurosurgery, ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgery, general surgery, urology, gynaecolgy, this equipment can be used. The advantage of this equipment is that it does not inflict large wounds when we do operations. We can do major operations through small incisions. It’s a big advance in terms of surgery,” he said.
Prof Muguti stated that this training centre which shall train surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses from Africa will be aptly furnished by the University with the Health and Child Care Ministry providing videoconferencing equipment.
“The Ministry of Health is going to provide video conferencing equipment which will be placed at Parirenyatwa Hospital in the theaters so that if people are doing courses here what is done at Parirenyatwa can be beamed to the seminar here for the participants to see in real life what is going on.
“And also this centre of excellence will have the capacity to beam what we are doing here to similar centres across the world. You could be doing a procedure here and someone in Germany or Nigeria can be watching. So that is what this video conferencing equipment is going to be capable of doing,” he said.
He said training centre will save Africans that want to pursue laparoscopic surgery the burden of traveling overseas and associated travelling costs.
“We are very fortunate because while others will have to come here for training, our people have the training centre at their doorstep. The whole point when it was established was to make sure that people in Africa don’t travel overseas to acquire these skills because it is very expensive. This centre is going to be able to offer world class training at a much cheaper costs which surgeons in Africa will be able to afford,” Prof Muguti said.
Prof Muguti also said while Africa has centres for laparoscopy, Zimbabwe is uniquely equipped with machines from the company of global repute.
“This laboratory the way it is designed is the first in Africa. It was designed by Karl Storz and it was from the very beginning designed to be an international facility. There are other laboratories that do this but not equipped to the level this one is with such high-tech equipment. That is why it is called the University of Zimbabwe International Centre for Surgical Simulation. So it’s not only going to benefit us in Zimbabwe but it will benefit people all over Africa,” he said.
UZ College of Health Sciences Dean of Faculty of Medicine Professor Rangarirai Masanganise said the laparoscopic surgery improves recovery rates in patients.
“This is modern technology at its best where people don’t have to be admitted for a long time in Hospital wards. It involves minimum access surgery and you will find that the recovery rate is so quick. Some can be operated on day basis. They come in and get discharged.
“We used to have this type of equipment at a smaller scale and old type of equipment. We didn’t have equipment for training. Now we have set a training base for surgeons to be trained,” he said.
Karl Storz Training Centres Manager for Africa, East Mediterranean and the Gulf Mr Tony Rahme said Zimbabwe has the best surgeons in Africa which earned it housing the International Surgical Simulation Centre. The equipment Zimbabwe has, Mr Rahme said, is worth half a billion euros.
“As Karl Storz we are behind education. It is a most important issue. If you have a Cardilac, a Mazzerati and you don’t have the driver, so for what? People here are eager to learn and you have good drivers that is why we decided to have the training centre here. Zimbabwe has the best surgeons in Africa. You should make best use of them.