The leading causes of death in Africa are airway infections, followed by HIV/AIDS and gastrointestinal infections. In fourth place is stroke, including intracranial haemorrhage. A Road traffic accident, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), occupies
the tenth place. Nevertheless, neurosurgical diseases such as TBI, congenital malformations of the central nervous system, brain tumours, and infections of the central nervous system affect children and the more productive members of Africans societies.
Unfortunately, these negative effects on society and the economic situation in Africa are not yet revealing such consequences that proactive neurosurgical efforts are being undertaken by the health systems, private health sector and aid organisations.
This means that, at present, those affected either do not receive sufficient care or are plainly ignored. In Malawi, there are only three neurosurgeons for the entire population of the country, i.e. approx. 19 million people.
Despite achievements in Malawi in the field of healthcare with respect to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as general health in children, mothers, newborns and adults, there are still significant challenges with respect to technical and financial resources in hospitals, drug supply, norms and standards, medical guidelines and directives, and the training of medical professionals. The latter is evident from the number of neurosurgeons available in Malawi and supporting staff like neuro-anaesthesiologists, neuro-radiologists and neuro-physiotherapists. The question thus arises of what can be done to improve neurosurgical services in the case of Malawi. Three neurosurgeons cannot satisfy an almost constant demand for treatment throughout the country and at the same time provide training to aspiring students and neurosurgeons.
Due to the private commitment of Prof. Dr. Kapapa, senior physician and specialist in neurosurgery at the University Hospital Ulm (UKU), a cooperation between the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi, has been established since 2007. This commitment has led to a closer cooperation between the neurosurgical clinics of the UKU and the QECH with the overall aim to improve neurosurgical health care in Malawi. With this project, the cooperation should be pushed further.
Despite achievements in Malawi in the field of healthcare with respect to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as general health in children, mothers, newborns and adults, there are still significant challenges with respect to technical and financial resources in hospitals, drug supply, norms and standards, medical guidelines and directives, and the training of medical professionals. The latter is evident from the number of neurosurgeons available in Malawi and supporting staff like neuro-anaesthesiologists, neuro-radiologists and neuro-physiotherapists. The question thus arises of what can be done to improve neurosurgical services in the case of Malawi. Three neurosurgeons cannot satisfy an almost constant demand for treatment throughout the country and at the same time provide training to aspiring students and neurosurgeons.
Due to the private commitment of Prof. Dr. Kapapa, senior physician and specialist in neurosurgery at the University Hospital Ulm (UKU), a cooperation between the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi, has been established since 2007. This commitment has led to a closer cooperation between the neurosurgical clinics of the UKU and the QECH with the overall aim to improve neurosurgical health care in Malawi. With this project, the cooperation should be pushed further.