FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURE
DECEMBER 2, 2021
Smile Train and KidsOR upgrade UTH children’s operating theatre
Lusaka, 1st December, 2021 – Infrastructure and training hold the key to safer surgery for children, according to global charities Smile Train and (KidsOR) who unveiled the newly refurbished paediatric operating room at University Teaching Hospital this week.
Children in Zambia will receive timely, quality surgical care thanks to the world-class facility in Lusaka.
Speaking during the unveiling of the operating theatre, Smile Train Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa Mrs Nkeiruka Obi underscored the need to prioritise safer surgery in public healthcare systems through provision of adequate infrastructure and trained personnel.
“Recent research has advocated for improvement in paediatric surgery by prioritising teaching of surgical skills and providing training, equipment and supplies. Smile Train invests in uplifting surgical care at local community level through its longstanding model of partnerships. Our synergy of vision with KidsOR inspired our desire to scale safe, timely and quality pediatric surgery by upgrading the infrastructure at UTH, the largest Tertiary Hospital in the country,” noted Mrs Obi.
KidsOR Regional Director for Africa Rosemary Mugwe celebrated the unveiling of the theatre by expressing her organisation’s commitment to enhancing the skills of medical professionals.
“We are keen on growing the number of qualified surgeons providing the much-needed skills among underserved communities. The theatres will become a centre of excellence for training the next generation of specialists in pediatric surgery in Zambia,” she said.
The University Teaching Hospital has a 1,655-bed capacity. UTH Medical Superintendent Dr Charles Mutemba re-emphasised the institution would ensure that the unit was used to the maximum benefit of Zambian children saying: “We celebrate this wonderful transformation to the children’s theatre infrastructure and appreciate the gesture by the two organisations, Smile Train and KidsOR. This is in line with the Government’s desire to ensure provision of quality healthcare to all its vulnerable children.”
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon Dr Bruce Bvulani hailed the upgrade, adding that the theatres enhanced the general wellbeing of patients and healthcare professional/
“Working in the upgraded theatre boosts the morale of the surgical team not only aesthetically but also using more child-friendly equipment. The colourful artwork on the walls also creates a calming environment for the children,” he said.
Given the anticipated population growth of Africa, there will be a significant need for paediatric surgical interventions. The long-term collaboration of KidsOR and Smile Trian will ultimately result in more than 30 paediatric operating rooms provided across countries in Africa over the next five years, treating more than 12,000 children. The partnership has also birthed a Pediatric Surgery Scholarship training and education of 40 paediatric surgeons across Africa in partnership with the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA).
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About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train’s sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.
About Kids Operating Room
Kids Operating Room is a Scottish charity working globally to provide paediatric operating rooms in hospitals and safe equipment to surgeons. Kids Operating Room also funds training of surgeons and anaesthesia providers and works with National Ministries of Health to develop sustainable healthcare services. Working across Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia, KidsOR has installed 25 operating rooms and provided over 24,000 children with access to emergency lifesaving and life-changing surgery in the last two years. Over two billion children lack access to safe surgery. Every year, more children die from not getting the surgery they need than from Malaria, HIV and TB combined.
For media inquiries, please contact
Gillian Langmead at Langmead & Baker Ltd
+260 979 060705
info@langmead.com
Smile Train
Emily Manjeru, PR & Communications Manager, Africa
+254 724 926 269
KidsOR
Muthoni Wahome, Communications Officer – Africa
+254 732 665 701