Development of reconstructive surgery
The project consists of organizing a practical training workshop (advanced course) in reconstructive surgery at the Khaled University Hospital Center in Bujumbura, Burundi. More specifically it will train 15 surgeons, 3 anaesthetists, and 10 operating room nurses. The trainee surgeons will perform 15 complex reconstructive surgical procedures and strengthen local skills in perioperative safety. Finally, the project will integrate the trained surgeons into a pan-African network of experts.
Founded in 2010, the Swiss association 2nd Chance aims to address the severe shortage of reconstructive surgery specialists in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions of patients disfigured by conflict or trauma do not have access to essential surgical care.
Burundi
Population
10.9 million (2017)
Per Capita Income
USD 280/year (2017)
Poverty rate *
65% (2014)
Literacy rate
62% (2016)
Human Development Index
185th out of 189 countries (2018)
Burundi is one of the five poorest countries in the world. Following the civil war which ended in 2005, the country transitioned implemented significant improvements to consolidate peace and security. The political crisis in 2015 led to an increase in violence and instability, displacing over 300,000 people. Progress has been made regarding the net enrolment rate and gender parity in primary school, vaccination coverage and slowing down the spread of HIV/Aids, and the literacy rates among adults improved from 52% (1990) to 62% (2016). However, almost one in two households is food insecure and almost half of the children are stunted. Access to water and sanitation is very low and less than 5% of the total population have access to electricity.
Sources: World Food Program, UNICEF, World Bank, 2016 Human Development Report, Human Development Indices and Indicators (2018 Statistical Update)
*The percentage of the population living below the national poverty line.