Abstract
This article helps to outline the scope of emergency paediatric operations in Tanzania by quantifying the nature of cases seen over a 12 month period in a teaching hospital. Data collected at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) showed that operative paediatric surgical emergencies represented 4% of all paediatric admissions. Of emergency procedures, 47 (43%) were for congenital abnormalities, 32 (29%) for infections, 19 (17%) for trauma and 12 (11%) for other reasons. Emergency operative mortality was 34%. The challenges to meet patient needs in the African setting include: a scarcity of surgeons with training in paediatric surgery, the variety of conditions which all surgeons must manage, a lack of equipment (e.g., neonatal ventilators) and educational resources. Potential avenues for overcoming these challenges are discussed, including the promotion of paediatric surgery as a profession, by the expansion of existing facilities, promoting African associations of paediatric surgery and highlighting the need for resources and continued education and training. We argue that surgical training in developing countries should include the skills needed to treat those paediatric conditions most likely to require urgent surgical intervention.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bickler S (2006) Paediatric surgery in the developing world. J Pediatr Surg 40:1969–1970
Emeh EA, Dogo PM, Nmadu PT (2001) Emergency neonatal surgery in a developing country. Pediatr Surg Int 17:448–451
Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (2002 census)
Tanzania National Health Accounts, May 2001 (Ministry of health, Republic of Tanzania)
Hospital Statistics (2000) KCMC
Bickler SW Rode H, Kyambi J (2001) Pediatric surgery in sub-Saharan Africa. Pediatr Surg Int 17:442–447
Bickler SW, Rode H (2002) Surgical services for children in developing countries. Bull World Health Organ 80:829–835
Bickler SW, Sanno-Duanda (2000) Epidemiology of paediatric surgical admissions to a government referral hospital in Gambia. Bull World Health Organ 78:1330–1336
Millar AJW, Rode H, Davies MRQ, Cywes S (1993) Paediatric surgery in the RSA—practice and training. S Afr Med J 83:85–88
Ameh EA (2003) Pediatric surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa (letter). Pediatr Surg Int 19:128
Ameh EA, Chirdan LB (2001) Paediatric surgery in the rural setting: prospect and feasibility. West Afr Med J 20:52–55
Driller C, Holschneider AM (2003) Training in pediatric surgery—a comparison of 24 countries in Europe and other countries around the world. Eur J Pediatr Surg 13:73–80
Emeh EA, Olusanya A, Nmadu PT (2006) Paediatric surgery in Nigeria. J Pediatr Surg 41:542–546
Mhando S, Lyamuya S, Lakhoo K (2006) Challenges in developing paediatric surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa. Pediatr Surg Int 22:425–427
Dewan PA (2000) The development of paediatric surgery in Papua New Guinea. P N J Med J 40:4060–4064
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mhando, S., Young, B. & Lakhoo, K. The scope of emergency paediatric surgery in Tanzania. Pediatr Surg Int 24, 219–222 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-007-2072-x
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-007-2072-x