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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2025; 52(06): 368-369
DOI: 10.1055/a-2628-9710
Communication

The Importance of Partnerships with Developing Countries: How to Establish A Microsurgery Course in Kenya?

Authors

  • Macarena Vizcay 

    1   Reconstructive Microsurgery Service, University Department of Hand Surgery and Rehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital – IRCCS MultiMedica Group, Milan, Italy
    2   School of Specialization in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Milan University, Milan, Italy

  • Juan E. Berner 

    3   Reconstructive Microsurgery Unit (LRMU), Department of Plastic Surgery, Emergency Care and Trauma Division (ECAT), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
    4   Kellogg College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

  • Ferdinand W. Nangole 

    5   Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Luigi Troisi 

    1   Reconstructive Microsurgery Service, University Department of Hand Surgery and Rehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital – IRCCS MultiMedica Group, Milan, Italy
    2   School of Specialization in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Milan University, Milan, Italy

Funding Accommodation and meals were provided by the Kenya Society (KSPRAS) for the funding of the trip. None of the authors received any funds or has any financial interests to disclose for the research, authorship, and publication of this article.
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It is estimated that five billion people around the world are currently living without access to adequate surgical care.[1] Surgery is crucial for the advancement of global health as a reduction of the burden of surgically treatable illnesses benefits not only patients' quality of life, but also the nation's productivity and economic potential.[2]

It has been estimated that investing in surgical care would help sub-Saharan Africa's human capital grow significantly.[1] [3] [4] Kenya is a lower-middle-income country with a population of 52.5 million,[5] where progress has been made in expanding access to health care in the effort to provide equitable, affordable, and timely care through universal health coverage.[6] Recent reports have shown that 95% of regional and national hospitals are capable of delivering comprehensive surgical care; however, that percentage drops to 46% for secondary hospitals.[6] In 2016, it was estimated that in Kenya, there are currently 543 practicing surgeons across all specialties (1.21 surgeons per 100,000 people), of which 52% are general surgeons and 59% of them are based in Nairobi, suggesting a concentrated surgical workforce in the capital city.[7]

The Department of Plastic Surgery at Kenyatta National Hospital has been providing microsurgical reconstructions since 2011. A partnership was established between the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital, the Kenyan Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, and the MultiMedica Reconstructive Microsurgery Service to deliver an interactive and hands-on course for plastic surgery trainees based in Nairobi. The aim was to demonstrate complex reconstructions, provide expert advice for the service, and inspire the next generation of East African reconstructive plastic surgeons.

Prior to the course, participating consultants and trainees working in Nairobi were asked about their training in microsurgery, as well as their expectations regarding the course. Three plastic surgeons based in Italy and the United Kingdom traveled to Nairobi to support the course as invited faculty. A total of 30 residents attended the course.

Authors' Contributions

All the author contributed to the text and revision.


Ethical Approval

Statement of institutional review board approval and/or statement of conforming to the Declaration of Helsinki: The present manuscript was exempted from IRB approval.


Patient Consent

In accordance with hospital policy, informed consent was obtained from all patients prior to surgery.




Publication History

Received: 16 May 2022

Accepted: 13 September 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
04 July 2025

Article published online:
20 November 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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