KAMPALA, UGANDA

by Michael Haglund, MD, FIENS Volunteer, 2007

In early 2007, Dr. Michael Haglund of Duke University visited Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. The national hospital had five neurosurgeons for a country of 30 million people. However, the facilities dated from the 1940s with some operating rooms still using ether and no modern equipment for the anesthesiologists or surgeons.

Dr. Haglund and the Duke Global Health Institute began collecting functional surplus equipment, and over the last two years have supplied $3,100,000 worth of new and used equipment, outfitting five operating rooms, a six-bed recovery room, and an eight-bed surgical intensive care unit. Corporate sponsors like Synthes Spine, Integra, Biomet, DePuy Spine, and ProMedical have contributed.

Under the direction of the FIENS East Africa Neurosurgery Training Program, the Uganda neurosurgery training program is moving ahead. Over the last two years Dr. Haglund and others have performed many surgeries. They have also trained  Ugandan neurosurgeons in the treatment of pituitary tumors, meningiomas, ventriculostomies, and cervical spine instrumentation. In addition, the biomedical engineers at Mulago are being trained in maintaining and repairing surgical and ICU equipment.