Pro IQRA News Updates.
The pediatric operating room provides safe surgery for children in one of the most difficult countries in the world
A British charity has confirmed it will set up a state-of-the-art operating theater for children in the Afghan capital – embarking on its most challenging installation yet.
A pediatric operating room will give children in Afghanistan access to safe surgery for the first time in years.
Surgeons work at Ataturk Children’s Hospital in Kabul, the country’s busiest hospital, with an acute shortage of equipment or resources to treat children.
Afghanistan has an exceptionally high number of children with a serious lack of access to safe surgery – it is said to have one of the highest death rates in the world according to UNICEF data1.
The installation involved assembling and shipping over 3,300 pieces of high quality pediatric surgical equipment from the Charity Logistics Center in Dundee.
Now at sea, the shipment is on track to reach the country this month, from which point the charity will work closely with the country’s biomedical engineers with the aim of having the operating theater ready from early next year.
“The tireless effort of our team to make this possible has been incredible,” said Nicola Wood, who co-founded the Pediatric Operating Room with her husband Gareth and whose charity has installed 59 operating theaters across Africa and Latin America. Afghanistan is one of the toughest places in the world for a child. There is a great and urgent need for a pediatric surgery facility.This installation will directly save lives, in addition to allowing children to live their lives free from disability and pain.
“Ultimately, it will transform the futures of children at risk and their families. Every child deserves access to surgery and we are committed to providing the resources to make this happen for children around the world.”
“Gareth and I are proud that the pediatric operating room is now in Afghanistan and feel strongly that it is the country that will particularly benefit from these facilities.”
The operating room is expected to treat around 1,000 children each year and the charity will work with the hospital to ensure they have access to essential equipment to prepare and carry out complex, life-saving procedures.
The inspiration for this project comes after a partnership formed with world-class surgical expert Dr. Dunya Mughal, now a pediatric surgeon at KidsOR.
Dr. Mughal, who is of Afghan descent, explained the need to improve surgical conditions for children in the country. After building a relationship with KidsOR, discussions soon began about installing an operating theater in Kabul – despite the difficult circumstances.
She said: “There is a great and urgent need for pediatric surgery in Kabul and I am proud to be working with KidsOR to facilitate children’s access to much-needed safe surgery.
“Surgery is a fundamental human right that should be at the heart of any sustainable healthcare system. By providing access to safe pediatric surgery, we are breaking new ground to save children’s lives.”
Currently, pediatric surgeons operate with very old equipment that often has defects or equipment designed for adults. This means that providing surgical services to children in these settings is very difficult and wastes a lot of time.
“The installation will provide not only a safe and clean surgical facility, but also new equipment specifically for children.”
KidsOR will work with local engineers to install the operating theater and will complete training sessions to raise the skills of the local population – who will continue to maintain and maintain the operating room.
Nicola Wood continues:
“In the pediatric operating room, we believe there must be a global commitment to strengthening health systems to ensure that no child is left behind due to a lack of access to vital surgery.”
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