Bournemouth-based Surgeon, Andrew Clarke, partnered with Operation Hernia and Nuffield Health, to travel to Ghana and perform life-saving hernia operations.
Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital’s Andrew Clarke and two other surgeons, who took part in Operation Hernia, performed more than 100 surgeries on men, women and children, suffering from debilitating hernias and hydroceles. Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital also provided medical supplies required to perform these procedures, in Ghana.
Operation Hernia is an international surgical programme intended to treat and teach hernia surgery in low and middle income countries where basic surgical services are not available. All medical professionals involved in Operation Hernia volunteer their time and pay for their own transportation.
Andrew Clarke, surgeon, said: “Hernias are a huge problem in third world countries where a high percentage of work is manual, such as farming. If someone is malnourished and undertaking vast amounts of strenuous activity, this can cause a painful hernia that can be disabling to sufferers.
“During my time in Ghana I also taught junior doctors, so that these procedures can continue to be offered in the future. I personally found this a very rewarding experience and it is definitely something that I’d look to do again in the future. We are very grateful to Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital for their very generous donations of medical supplies, without which we may not have been able to conduct as many procedures as we did’.”
Andrew added: “One afternoon we were visited by a 12-year-old girl who was fatally ill, but with our help, she recovered in a matter of days. This was a particularly poignant moment in my trip and I’m so pleased that I had the opportunity to play a part in this young girl’s recovery.”
Operation Hernia is a charity and relies solely on donations to fund its efforts. For more information please visit: www.operationhernia.org.uk.