The CNIS concluded 2007, the first year of its CIDA program, by introducing the Essential Surgical Skills (ESS™) project to the University of Bamako in Mali.
Two Malian general surgeons, Professor Gangaly Diallo and Dr. Nouhoum Ongoiba, along with the Canadian team, which included Dr. Ronald Lett, Dr. Francoise Couturier, and Dr. Vincent Echave, from the University of Sherbrooke, collaborated on this project. The expertise of the two Québécois in obstetrics and surgery, the French language, and knowledge of the area greatly contributed to the programs overall success.
Two workshops were conducted entirely in French. The Canadian team, with the support of the three Malian specialists, conducted the first workshop for first year surgical residents. Twenty-two residents completed this providers course. The second workshop was lead by Dr. Ronald Lett and it targeted Malian professors. Twelve Malian faculty members were certified as ESS instructors. The CNIS donated all the equipment necessary to continue the course in the future. With the equipment and the new qualified team of instructors, ESS should be sustained in Mali. The plan is that the University of Sherbrooke will be the CNIS implementing agency for ESS in Mali.
Le Journal de la Communauté Universitaire – a French language journal from Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada – released an article about the collaboration between their university, the CNIS and Université de Bamako, Mali.
Visit our press clippings page to view the article in French, or translated to English.
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