This archive report was first published on 24 December 2019.
Kenya's healthcare system is facing a critical shortage of neurosurgeons, with only 25 specialists serving the country's population. This was highlighted during a three-day meeting of neurosurgeons in Nyeri, which brought together experts from across the globe.
According to statistics, Kenya has 25 practicing neurosurgeons stationed at Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, while the rest are in private hospitals across the country.
During the World Federation of Neurosurgeons Societies seminar, seven live neuro-complex surgeries were performed at the Consolata Hospital Mathari, witnessed by 40 neurosurgeons from around the world.
The surgeries focused on brain tumour procedures in complex neuroanatomical areas in the nervous system. Participants came from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, and Cameroon, as well as from Pakistan, the USA, the UK, Turkey, India, and Japan.
Dr. Andrew Nyaoncha, a key speaker, emphasized the importance of the neurosurgery conference in demystifying the practice and creating opportunities for more doctors and other health workers to train.
"Through this symposium, we hope to transfer knowledge and technical skills as well as create partnerships for development and technology exchange," he said.
The neurosurgeon federation plans to establish a centre for excellence for neurosurgery practice and an institute of neurosurgery sciences in Nyeri.
Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki noted that the conference provided a platform to reflect on neurosurgical conditions through sharing experiences, tracking the progress of implementation of policies, and advocating for multi-sectorial engagements aimed at mitigating the circumstances that bring about neurological conditions.
