Addis Ababa | Mbarara | Gondar | Jimma | Malawi
CNIS’ surgical skills labs increase Africa’s capacity to train and certify physicians, surgeons, and other health professionals in obstetrical and surgical procedures. CNIS has since completed skills labs in Gondar and Jimma, Ethiopia, Mbarara, Uganda and Blantyre, Malawi. CNIS will be hosting an evening gala in Vancouver on June 11 to raise funds to build a skills lab in Moshi, Tazania.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The surgical skills labs were developed through the Ethiopian Innovation Project in 2005-2007. These centres increase Ethiopia’s capacity to train and certify physicians, surgeons, and other health professionals in obstetrical and surgical procedures. When the Addis Ababa skills lab was inaugurated in 2007, it was the first of its kind in Africa.
On February 21st, 2007, the Canadian Ambassador to CIDA, M. Yves Boulanger officially opened the Surgical Skills Lab located at the heart of the Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with an opening lead by: Dr. Mulat Taye (Skills Lab Committee Chair), Dr. Ronald Lett (CNIS President), Dr. Zufan Lakew (Dean of Addis Ababa University) and Dr. Lash Dedamu (President of ENAHPA Canada). Those addressed at the ceremony included surgeons, residents, students, nurses and administrators from the Black Lion Hospital, as well as representatives from surgical equipment companies.
The Addis lab has been updated with new equipment to become a regional centre.
Mbarara, Uganda
In 2006, Uganda’s first skills lab was inaugurated in Mbarara. The lab has run continuous courses there since, increasing the country’s capacity to train and certify physicians, surgeons, and other health professionals in obstetrical and surgical procedures.
Gondar, Ethiopia
The Gondar lab officially opened during 2008. Essential Surgical Skills (ESS) courses have been conducted by the Gondar staff, but these were the first workshops for CNIS. An ESS Instructors Course and a Hernia Repair Instructors Course were conducted in the surgical skills lab in Gondar in February 2009. 22 ESS Instructors and 15 Hernia Instructors were certified. The courses were well received and professionally organized by Dr. Gashaw, the ESS Director, Dr. Amezene Tadesse, ESS Co-Director and Dr. Mensur, the ESS Patron in Gondar.
Jimma, Ethiopia
The Jimma lab is the third surgical skills lab in Ethiopia, following Addis Ababa and Gondar. The third Ethiopian skills lab further strengthens the country’s capacity for safer surgery and obstetrics.
Malawi
Coming soon.
