Residents of Damongo and surrounding communities in the Savannah Region are being offered a valuable opportunity to access free specialist surgical services through a four-week medical outreach at St. Anne’s Catholic Hospital, facilitated through a partnership between the Damongo Diocesan Health Directorate and the Mission Doctors Association (MDA), a United States-based Catholic non-profit organisation.
The free surgical outreach, led by American general surgeon Dr. Juan Marie Pellegrini, was made possible through the recruitment and support of MDA, which is collaborating with the Damongo Diocesan Health Directorate to bring this critical healthcare intervention closer to underserved populations in the Savannah Region.
The initiative seeks to perform between *100 and 200 surgical procedures*, providing free surgical treatment to individuals who might otherwise be unable to afford or access such specialist services. However, despite the availability of the service, patient turnout has been lower than anticipated, raising concerns that many people who could benefit from the intervention may miss this important opportunity.
The outreach is addressing a range of conditions, including inguinal hernias, hydroceles, lipomas and other lumps and bumps, as well as selected gynaecological conditions requiring surgical intervention.
Dr. Pellegrini disclosed that the team had attended to 17 patients during the preceding week, with additional cases being handled during the current week. On some operating days, between six and seven surgical procedures are scheduled.
She explained that the team was using surgical mesh for hernia repairs, a material she brought along specifically for the mission because it was not readily available at the hospital. The use of surgical mesh is an established approach to hernia repair and helps reduce the risk of recurrence in appropriate cases.
She further explained that patients presenting with minor lumps and bumps could undergo relatively simple procedures under local anaesthesia without necessarily requiring admission for major surgery.
Dr. Pellegrini, who works full-time at a Catholic hospital in the United States, said her participation in the outreach was made possible through an arrangement that allows her to dedicate one month each year to medical service in Africa. She joined the Mission Doctors Association after seeking opportunities to continue serving communities on the continent, having previously worked in Chad.
The Medical Director of St. Anne’s Catholic Hospital, Dr. Nelson Agboadoh, described the outreach as a significant intervention that had brought specialist surgical services closer to people who might otherwise face considerable financial and geographical barriers to accessing such care.
He noted that the benefits extended beyond patients undergoing surgery, as other individuals who presented at the hospital with medical concerns also had the opportunity to receive clinical assessment and appropriate attention.
Dr. Agboadoh emphasised that the surgeries and associated services were being provided free of charge, including the surgical mesh and other essential materials that patients would ordinarily have to pay for.
He also highlighted the capacity-building component of the mission, explaining that the collaboration provided an important opportunity for local health professionals to acquire additional knowledge, improve their surgical skills and learn alternative approaches to managing surgical conditions.
Speaking for, and on behalf of the Bishop of the Diocese of Damongo, Most Rev. Peter Paul Y. Angkyier, the Diocesan Director of Health Service, Mr. Aiden Ngmenbon expressed gratitude to the Mission Doctors Association for sending Dr. Pellegrini, to provide this critical intervention at zero cost to beneficiaries.
He further noted that Mission Doctors Association who have collaborated with the Diocese over years, by this intervention has further strengthened the collaboration and hopes it gets improved in the coming years.
He further called on the people in and around Damongo to continue to inform others who have not heard about this crucial intervention yet, to also take opportunity while the visiting surgeon is still around.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Gogu Edwin
