The Surgical Missions, conducted in collaboration with local and international surgical teams, aimed to provide specialized surgical care to patients in need, particularly those from underserved communities. The 2023 missions resulted in the successful completion of over 23 surgeries, addressing a range of medical conditions.

Objectives

  • Provide Specialized Surgical Care: To offer free, life-changing surgical procedures to individuals who lack access to such services.
  • Enhance Surgical Capacity: To build local surgical capacity through training and collaboration with international experts.
  • Improve Patient Outcomes: To reduce the burden of untreated surgical conditions and improve overall health outcomes.

Key Activities

  • Patient Identification and Screening: Identified and screened over 400 patients for surgical conditions, prioritizing cases based on urgency and impact. Eastern region has the highest number of pending cases.
  • Surgical Procedures: Performed 23 surgeries, including hernia repairs, tumor removals, orthopedic surgeries, and cataract extractions. We were limited by financial resources as most of these were performed by volunteer specialists.
  • Post-Operative Care: Provided comprehensive post-operative care, including follow-up consultations and rehabilitation services to ensure successful recovery.
  • Capacity Building: Trained 50 local healthcare providers in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and post-operative care, enhancing local surgical capacity.

Outcomes and Impact

  • Successful Surgeries: The missions resulted in a 95% success rate, with significant improvements in patient quality of life.
  • Increased Surgical Capacity: Local healthcare providers gained valuable skills, enabling them to perform more complex surgical procedures independently.
  • Improved Health Outcomes: Patients who received surgery reported improved health, mobility, and overall well-being, with many returning to their daily activities.

Challenges and Solutions

  • Resource Constraints: Supplemented surgical supplies and equipment through partnerships with international NGOs and local donors.
  • Complex Cases: Managed complex surgical cases by involving experienced international surgeons and providing intensive post-operative care.

Conclusion

The Surgical Missions of 2023 were a major success, providing essential surgical care to those in need and building local capacity for future interventions. The missions demonstrated the impact of collaborative efforts in addressing healthcare needs in Uganda, particularly in underserved areas.