A KIND-HEARTED surgeon has offered his skills to help clinicians in Malawi.
Talvinder Singh, consultant hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder surgeon at Spire Parkway Hospital, completed a four-week surgical mission to the East African country through a programme organised by the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH).
The charitable initiative supported local clinicians at the Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (LION).
Mr Singh said: “This programme provided an opportunity to support local teams in delivering specialist care.
“I carried out emergency and elective hand surgery and offered training where it was needed. Malawi is a beautiful and peaceful country, and the people were extremely welcoming. I’m also grateful for the equipment and support provided by colleagues, which helped us work more effectively.”
This was Mr Singh’s second visit to LION.
His work formed part of a five-year BSSH initiative supported by consultants on rotation, aimed at strengthening the capacity of local orthopaedic and hand surgery services.
The mission also included contributions from a Hand Therapist and a Registrar, and the team was received at the British High Commissioner’s Residence during the visit.
Malawi has only 18 consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeons serving the entire population, and access to electricity is limited to around 15 per cent.
These factors contribute to a high incidence of traumatic injuries and limited access to specialist care.
