Surgical Skills Training Centre
Surgical Skills Training Centre
Background:
The Surgical Skills Training Centre (SSTC) opened at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in June 2011 and is the first of its kind in sub Saharan Africa, providing African and local surgeons and physicians the opportunity to train in foundations of endoscopic surgery, advanced paediatric MIS and other clinically important skills. The Centre will be used for those training in specialities other than surgery too, such as local anaesthesia workshops, basic surgical skills courses for medical students and junior registrars, and lumber punctures and venous access techniques. The Centre was built as a multi-functional area to maximise its usage.
Problem:
Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), otherwise known as endoscopic surgery, is being recognised worldwide as improving patient outcomes and improving the surgical experience for the patient.
Dedicated endoscopic surgery training centres are currently not present in sub-Saharan Africa, and specialists and surgeons in training from this continent have to travel to Europe or the U.S. to train in endoscopic surgery.
Solution:
With the new Operating Theatre Complex at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, a 9-station surgical skills training centre linked to this facility will be ideally placed to advance multi-disciplinary endoscopic surgery skills locally and continentally.
Budget:
Total building costs were just over R9.4 million. Equipment cost R10 million but was generously donated by Karl Storz, a German manufacturer of endoscopic equipment.
Timeline:
The Surgical Skills Training Centre was officially opened on 22nd June 2011.
For more information on this project please contact Philippa Douglas
