The third quarter of 2024 was a period of strategic growth for this hub, which has focused on advancing surgical education, strengthening clinical care programs, and enhancing research capabilities, all while addressing critical infrastructure needs.
Surgical Education and Subspecialty Programs
The Hawassa hub’s educational initiatives have continued to expand with biweekly joint ACS and Hawassa University morbidity and mortality conferences and journal clubs. Feedback from faculty and residents is guiding the refinement of these sessions to better align with the needs of local medical professionals.
To further support surgical training, a question bank project is in development, drawing on local and international expertise to prepare residents for oral and multiple-choice exams.
The new Expert Speaker Program initiated by Edgar Rodas, MD, and Zeresenay Gebremeskel, MD, has been well-received, providing valuable insights for surgical and emergency department residents.
Laparoscopic training continues to be a priority this quarter. Visiting surgeons, including Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH, FACS, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Raymond R. Price, MD, FACS, from the University of Utah Health, have supported hands-on training for faculty and residents. Two more Hawassa faculty have been certified as a result of this latest initiative. Plans are underway to formalize a comprehensive training schedule that includes simulation-based learning for all surgical residents and junior faculty.
Clinical Care and Equipment Challenges
Efforts to develop subspecialty programs in vascular, surgical oncology, and thoracic surgery have gained traction. A schedule of visiting specialists is planned through early 2025 to support these areas.
The lack of advanced surgical and diagnostic equipment is limiting progress. The team is actively working to address these shortages by focusing on essential equipment such as ventilators, endoscopy machines, and portable x-ray machines.
The hospital is taking proactive steps to address these challenges by compiling a comprehensive inventory of necessary equipment and identifying items that require repair. This effort is supported by a robust platform that tracks the status and functionality of each piece of equipment, which is proving invaluable for maintenance and operational efficiency.
Furthermore, to optimize equipment management, the hospital is considering closer integration of biomedical engineers into clinical care processes. This approach may include forming a dedicated biomedical workgroup or involving these specialists in existing clinical care workgroup discussions, enhancing the hospital’s capabilities in maintaining and managing medical equipment efficiently.
In addition, Laura T. Withers, MD, FACS, an acute care surgeon from MaineHealth in Portland, collaborated closely with Dr. Belay Mellese and other faculty members to enhance quality improvement (QI) initiatives, particularly in wound and burn care. Dr. Withers’s efforts focused on reviewing and improving existing wound care protocols, which led to the development of a targeted training program for nurses. This program aimed to raise awareness and implementation of aseptic techniques adapted to the resource constraints at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HUCSH).
Additionally, Dr. Withers contributed to a QI project that introduced a wound care trolley system, promoting a sterile environment for dressing changes and reducing infection rates. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to elevate healthcare practices through shared expertise and mutual learning, underscoring the importance of cooperative engagement in global health improvements.
Research and Quality Improvement
Research remains a core focus of the Hawassa hub. Currently, registrars at HUCSH are engaged in nine impactful research topics aimed at enhancing patient care and clinical outcomes, and the collaborative is preparing for its upcoming inaugural department of Surgery Research Day in December. Among these are significant studies assessing the outcomes and complications of procedures such as transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia and the prevalence of neural tube defects. The research projects are supported by faculty mentors from HUCSH and the ACS, ensuring robust academic oversight and integration of best practices.
