Bugando Hospital delivers over 100 reconstructive surgical care
Mwanza. More than 100 patients with complex facial, eck, and head deformities have received specialised and reconstructive surgical care at Bugando Zonal Referral Hospital, thanks to a series of medical outreach camps conducted in collaboration with surgeons from the United States since 2023.
The fifth phase of the surgical camp, held from July 14 to 18, 2025, saw a total of 40 patients undergo reconstructive procedures to address conditions such as facial disfigurement caused by bacterial infections, accident-related nasal injuries, and cleft lip deformities.
This was revealed on Thursday, July 17, 2025, by Dr Francis Tegete, Head of the Department of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery at Bugando, during a media briefing to provide an assessment of the one-week camp.
He explained that the initiative targets individuals with congenital deformities, accident-related injuries, cancer, and bacterial infections affecting the face, neck, and head.
“We began on Monday and will conclude on Friday. So far, we have attended to 35 patients and expect the number to reach 40 by the end of the week. All will receive advanced, specialist care through our joint team,” said Dr Tegete.
He noted that the department performs between 80 and 130 surgeries per month and attends to more than 300 outpatients—most presenting with burn injuries, accident trauma, cleft lips, cancer, and cosmetic concerns.
Dr Tegete emphasised the importance of the camps in building local capacity, enabling Tanzanian doctors to conduct such surgeries independently even after the American specialists depart. “Our team has grown significantly, with more skilled personnel. This programme has also eased the burden on citizens who would otherwise have to seek costly treatment abroad,” he said.
Professor Dr Manoj Abraham, leader of the visiting team from the American Plastic Surgery Institute, said the Face to Face programme aims to train local doctors to provide care matching the standards available in the US.
“Our camp is progressing well; the patients we’ve operated on are recovering and pleased with the outcomes. We aim to continue this collaboration to strengthen technical capacity,” Prof Abraham noted.
ENT surgeon Dr Gustave Buname added: “In just three years, we’ve seen major improvements. We can now treat up to 12 patients a day, compared to just three when we started.”
Ms Paschalia John, a resident of Igoma in Mwanza, praised the programme, saying her child—who is undergoing limb correction therapy—has shown significant improvement. “I brought my child here when he was completely immobile. Now he is progressing well. I thank the doctors for their incredible work,” she said
