Providing medical care in unfamiliar settings; experience of an Egyptian campaign in Uganda

Abstract

Medical service in many African countries is affected by the limited infrastructure and the lack of economic and human potentials. Uganda is one the countries that suffers from lack of physicians as well as shortage of many medical facilities with many endemic health problems such as Goiter. A surgical camp was done by an Egyptian team of 8 physicians; three general surgeons, one pediatric surgeon, two gynecologists and one anesthetist. Over two hundred cases were screened in the outpatient clinic. Eighty nine operations were done in four days. General surgery procedures were 45 operations (50%), Pediatric procedures were 23 operations (26%) and Gynecological operations were 21 operations (24%) In conclusion Humanitarian relief for poor population in the developing world countries needs vigilant international collaboration. Special attention should be given to goiter in African countries. Training doctors from sub-Saharan African nations should be on the top of the agenda of the international medical community in order to reach a definitive solution for their health problems. © Ahmed Hasanin et al.