Training of Ghana Doctors in Mesh Hernia Repair: National Capacity Building Programme

 

Location:
Ghana In West Africa
 

Background and significance of project 
Operation Hernia is collaborating with the Ghana Hernia Society to organise a National Hernia Training Programme to upscale the training of district hospital doctors in Mesh and Non Mesh Hernia Surgery. Most hernias are repaired ion the district hospitals. The training is delivered on regional basis. There are 16 Regions in Ghana. 16 Hernia Training Courses are therefore planned.  14 to 20 doctors will be trained at each course. Training in 2 regions have already been delivered over the past 2 years. The pace of delivery is determined by availability of funding.

Two significant factors form the background to this project:

  1. The burden of hernias in Ghana is high. The rate of hernia repair is very low compared to the west. There is an urgent need to increase the rate of repair by increasing the number  of trained surgeons to repair hernias to avoid  a backlog of a million patients with hernias in 10 years1. 
  2. Most hernia repairs carried out in Ghana is by high tension Bassini repair which has a high recurrence rate. The programme trains in Mesh Repair.

Course Structure
The training is structured, and competency based, as published2.
1.    Lectures on Anatomy and relevant hernia topics: 1-2 Days
2.    Hands on Theatre Training: One week
3.    Mentoring Post Training

Progect goals

In 2021 we have planned three (3) Training Courses for the doctors  in the following regions:

In 2022 and subsequent years, we hope to complete training in three (3) regions per year.
14 to 20 doctors will be trained at each course. The Trainers will be Ghanaian and Operation Hernia Consultant surgeons.

LOGO FOR TRAINING COLLABOARATION

POSTER FOR FIRST HERNIA TRAINING COURSE

WEBSITES

Operation Hernia    www.operationhernia.org.uk
    
Ghana Hernia Society    www.ghanaherniasociety.org

Hands on Training in Theatre

Anatomy Demonstration on a Model

Typical Large Hernia in Ghana

REFERENCES

  1. J H Beard , L B Oresanya, M Ohene-Yeboah, et al Characterizing the Global Burden of Surgical Disease: A Method to Estimate Inguinal Hernia Epidemiology in Ghana. World J Surg 2013: Mar; 37(3):498-503
  2. R Lorenz 1, C Oppong 2, A Frunder 3, M Lechner 4, D M Sedgwick 5, A Tasi 6, R Wiessner Improving surgical education in East Africa with a standardized hernia training program. Hernia 2021 Feb;25(1):183-192.