News / Reports & Updates / Spring 2006

IRPS Ghana Progress Report, Spring 2006
(click images to enlarge)

The past year has been one of the project's most successful with great strides made towards a self-sufficient, highly skilled reconstructive plastic surgery service in Ghana.

More Operations Performed
New equipment provided, together with developing local skills helped increase operation numbers for traffic accidents, burn accidents, tropical ulcers, cancers, tumours and others.

Hands-on training courses
Volunteer plastic surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, therapists and others continue to play a vital role in developing the Project in Ghana.

Training in the UK
Ghana's latest (no.6) consultant platic surgeon graduated in February 2006. He is now receiving 12 months intensive training in the renowned Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit, Glasgow. This costs the charity £50,000 per annum.


Equipment
High income in the past year permitted £100,000 equipment purchase:

• Skin-grafting electric dermatome
• Sterilisation unit
• 16 sets of surgical instruments
• 2 new operating tables

Long term planning
A grant from the Scottish Executive and other assured income enabled the IRPS to confidently commit to long term planning. With 50% of finance secured for the next 5 years, teaching, training and equipment provision programmes have commenced to make West Africa's first reconstructive plastic surgery self- sufficient by 2010.

Decommissioned NHS equipment
The 2006 annual shipment was sent out in February consisting of theatre, ward, anaesthetic, rehabilitation etc equipment and supplies. The ship's containers sent are converted into medical stores or libraries.

New Cases - Neurofibromatosis


Buruli Ulcer

This poorly understood leprosy-like disease is increasing its devastation in Africa. Buruli ulcer is untreatable by medicine. 25% of plastic surgery beds are constantly occupied by children requiring surgery and reconstruction for Buruli Ulcer.

Surgery can mean losing hands and arms, feet and legs, eyes and massive scarring.

If left for too long, contracture, deformity and disability result.

The IRPS has initiated research to help eliminate Buruli Ulcer.