Women’s Health Team Begins Blog Updates from Tanzania

Published August 4, 2008, last updated on March 8, 2013 under Research News

Nestled at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) works to nurture the future healthcare professionals of Tanzania, often through partnerships with Duke University physicians and programs.

The newest Duke-KCMC program is centered on women’s health. In early July, DGHI Member Jeff Wilkinson, MD, Co-Director of the Duke Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery moved to Moshi with his wife, Sumera Hayat (Community & Family Medicine) and family. They are eagerly launching the new Duke-KCMC Women’s Reproductive Health Program, and have begun a blog to keep the global health community at Duke abreast of their efforts. 

 

In the first entry, Wilkinson writes about the first few challenging weeks. Some things, such as the “two Hitchcock movie-like attacks of fire ants”, could not have been predicted. Other issues, such as the logistic issue of when to ship and utilize the new laparoscopic equipment were more expected. “We are working on a plan to safely introduce the equipment here without having it rapidly break, get lost or fall in to disuse or create more problems than it solves,” Wilkinson writes. 

Yet, those obstacles have not dampened the team’s enthusiasm, hopes, and project progression.  Wilkinson writes that they have already scheduled the first Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics Course (scheduled for November) and begun to develop an East African Maternal Health Network.

With a successful first few weeks completed, Wilkinson’s only real worry is that they may try to do too much. “We’re pressing ahead with plans to assist in the cervical cancer screening, prevention and treatment efforts that are already underway and to help develop further capacity, infrastructure and study of the problem of obstetric fistula in Tanzania.  We’re trying to refine our focus to avoid getting over-stretched…..perhaps the most difficult task.”

To read more about Dr. Wilkinson’s team in Moshi, visit the team’s blog.

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