AOA and ADFA successfully conducted three back-to-back courses targeting frontline healthcare workers involved in operative fracture treatment. Forty operating room personnel (ORP) kicked off the education marathon on March 17, 2019. Twenty participants were from outside Addis Ababa, the capital. For the first time, the town of Hossana was able to send nurses to attend the sought after course.
All first-year residents in Ethiopia attended the Pre-Basic Course
Next was the Pre-Basic course for first year trauma and orthopedic (T&O) residents. This course represents an evolution and collaboration with Australian Doctors for Africa (ADFA), CURE Ethiopia and Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa. National course Chair Samuel Hailu, ADFA CEO Graham Forward and regional course Chair Joseph Mwanga from Tanzania echoed the sentiment that the future of the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries is bright in Ethiopia. T&O residencies are attracting the brightness surgical minds.
The course was blessed with a surprise appearance by an Ethiopian national icon, long-distance runner and now successful businessman Haile Gebreselassie. As the Patron of ADFA and knowing a thing or two about muscle and bone injuries, he thanked the faculty and encouraged the young participants to do their best for their patients.
To complete the cycle, AO Alliance returned with its operative fracture management course after a seven-year hiatus. This course teaches more advanced operative techniques to senior residents and young surgeons. The course was chaired by Geletaw Tessema from Ethiopia and Nicholas Lubega from Malawi.
Dr Nardos Worku instructing trainees on operative fracture care techniques
Senior residents and young staff surgeons
Developing public-speaking skills is also part of developing a great surgeon
Biruk Lambisso Wamisho, Head, Department of Orthopedics, Addis Ababa University (AAU), Head of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, said “I have no words to fully express your impact here. Thank you for teaching my residents to help their patients.”