General Surgery in Uganda

In a low and middle-income nation like Uganda, particularly in rural areas, there are significant limits on the capability for general surgery. Recent international pediatric surgical guidelines recommend general surgeons in rural, regional hospitals be trained and supported as a successful strategy for expanding pediatric surgical capacity. the main problem is the patients in Uganda are never treated and never diagnosed. With many initiatives and programs in Uganda, Uganda’s General surgery situation is increasing. The number of surgeons in Uganda for general surgery is rising, and Uganda is now providing quality health care in hospitals, helping to decrease General surgery cost in Uganda.

History of General Surgery in Uganda:

By witnessing the earlier situation of Uganda’s health care system for general surgery and pediatric Surgeries, a well-known Yale Medicine pediatric surgeon Dr. Doruk Ozgediz visits Uganda regularly. When Dr. Ozgediz first visited in 2003, most of the visiting medical professionals assisted in treating diseases like malaria and HIV. In addition, he observed significant issues with the country’s infrastructure, poverty, and lack of workforce and considered solutions to improve Uganda.

Since there are not enough medical professionals in Uganda, many patients who have surgery do not receive it from surgeons qualified to handle their specific problems. As a result, many Yale Medicine doctors go on humanitarian missions to help people who wouldn’t otherwise receive care. However, Dr. Ozgediz says Uganda can provide sustainable surgical care with little assistance. Despite having assisted in thousands of surgeries there, he now prefers to teach Ugandan surgeons and push for more local capacity.

Now Ugandan citizens are well aware of diseases; they go for treatment early and get quality treatment at a low cost.

General Surgery cost in Uganda

General Surgery in Uganda	Average Cost in Ugandan Shilling (Ush)	Average Cost in US Dollar (USD)
Adrenalectomy	UGX 1,47,63,269	$4,218
Breast Lumpectomy	UGX 1,58,17,788	$4,519
Breast Tumor Removal	UGX 1,84,54,086	$5,273
Diagnostic Laparoscopy	UGX 1,05,45,192	$3,013
Esophagectomy	UGX 2,37,26,682	$6,779
Gastrectomy	UGX 1,15,99,711	$3,314
General Surgery Consultation	UGX 4,32,180	$123
Hepatectomy	UGX 1,79,26,826	$5,122
Hernia Repair	UGX 94,90,673	$2,712
Hiatal Hernia Surgery	UGX 1,00,17,932	$2,862
Incisional Hernia Repair	UGX 89,63,413	$2,561
Inguinal Hernia Repair Surgery	UGX 84,36,154	$2,410
Laparoscopic Hernia Repair	UGX 94,90,673	$2,712
Laparoscopy	UGX 1,26,54,230	$3,615
Laparotomy	UGX 1,68,72,307	$4,821
Laproscopic Cholestectomy	UGX 2,42,53,942	$6,930
Liver Transplant	UGX 16,87,23,072	$48,207
Lymph Nodes Removal	UGX 94,90,673	$2,712
Mastectomy	UGX 1,84,54,086	$5,273
Orchidopexy	UGX 1,95,08,605	$5,574
Snoring Surgery	UGX 1,63,45,048	$4,670
Splenectomy	UGX 1,89,81,346	$5,423
Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy	UGX 1,68,72,307	$4,821
Thymectomy	UGX 2,10,90,384	$6,026
Thyroidectomy	UGX 2,74,17,499	$7,834
Umbilical Hernia Repair	UGX 73,81,634	$2,109
Varicocele Surgery Open Bilateral	UGX 2,00,35,865	$5,725
Varicocele Surgery Open Unilateral	UGX 1,47,63,269	$4,218

Cost of Top General Surgery in Uganda

Liver Transplant:

A liver transplant is a procedure where a patient’s damaged liver is replaced with a full or partially healthy liver from a different patient. The current criteria for liver transplantation, different liver types used as donors, the procedure itself, and the post-transplant immunosuppression needed. The liver transplant cost in Uganda is $48,207.

Laparoscopy:

The surgery known as laparoscopy allows a doctor to see within the pelvis and abdomen. A laparoscope is used for this, a short, flexible tube with a light and a tiny camera at one end. The abdominal wall is lightly sliced below the navel to insert the tube (belly button). Other areas of the belly may also require a second or third incision to insert additional tools. Laparoscopy is frequently referred to as keyhole surgery or minimally invasive surgery. The laparoscopy cost in Uganda is $3,615.

Gastrectomy:

Gastrectomy is a surgical process of removal of all or a portion of the stomach. The stomach is an organ in the upper abdomen with a J shape. It is a digestive system component that breaks down food nutrients and aids in excreting waste. The entire or a portion of the stomach is surgically removed during a gastrectomy, a medical-surgical procedure. The price of a Gastrectomy in Uganda is $3,314.

Thyroidectomy:

The surgical removal of the entire or part of the thyroid is known as a thyroidectomy. Most people with thyroid tumors receive it as their primary treatment. The partial removal of the thyroid, also known as a thyroid lobectomy, hemithyroidectomy, or total thyroidectomy combined with lymph node removal, is among your thyroid surgery possibilities. The Thyroidectomy cost in Uganda is $7,834.

Umbilical Hernia Repair:

An umbilical hernia repair is a procedure to fix an opening or weak spot in your abdominal wall that is in or around your belly button. The procedure prevents a portion of your stomach’s contents from protruding through the wall. The term “hernia” refers to this lump. The cost of Umbilical Hernia Repair in Uganda is $2109. Babies frequently have umbilical hernias, but these typically resolve independently without requiring medical attention. A child may require surgery if the hernia doesn’t go away.

Lumpectomy:

A lumpectomy is a form of breast cancer surgery used to remove cancerous or other abnormal breast tissue. The doctor may refer to it as an excisional biopsy, partial mastectomy, or breast-conserving surgery. In contrast to a standard mastectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor and some of the breast tissue surrounding it. The lumpectomy cost in Uganda is $4,519.

Hernia Repair:

A laparoscopic hernia repair is less invasive than a traditional or open hernia surgery. Both tissue cutting and suturing (stitching) is not used. No structures are divided or cut during the blunt surgery. Three tiny dissolvable tacks anchor the mesh instead of stitches holding it in place. The Hernia Repair price in Uganda is $2,712.

Why choose General Surgery in Uganda?

The newest technologies are being used in Uganda to deliver General Surgery. The Ugandan Ministry of Health works with hospitals to offer camps that raise awareness of treatments and illness.

The facilities are well-equipped and uphold the highest standards to treat patients and perform successful General Surgery on them. Top overseas universities provide excellent training for Uganda’s surgeons. Ugandan neurologists treat patients, guarantee that they receive cutting-edge treatments, and monitor the effectiveness of such treatments.

Because the doctors doing the surgery are Ugandans, and the hospitals have access to all the necessary resources domestically, the cost of General Surgery in Uganda is far lower than in any other nation.

Conditions Treated Using General Surgery in Uganda

Hernias
Appendicitis
Gallstones
Breast tumors
Pancreatitis
Thyroid disorders
Colon cancer
Bowel obstructions
Acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Colon inflammation

Recently Introduced Endoscopy and laparoscopic Surgery in Uganda

Endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery, which are being performed new in Uganda but have been practiced for decades in other nations, are now options that surgeons are giving patients. These minimally invasive surgical methods, also known as pinhole operations, are now being used in public facilities such as St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, Kibuli Hospital, Uganda Martyrs’ Hospital Lubaga, and Mulago National Referral Hospital.

These minimally invasive surgeries, endoscopies, and laparoscopies use high-tech instruments inserted into the patient’s body and are now an option for patients who require surgery for diseases like hernias, gallbladders, and some cancers like liver and stomach cancers. They are a recent service that conventional hospitals have added.

Example of General surgery:

Surgeons claim that patients who needed to have their gallbladders removed three to four years ago underwent open surgery. With this technique, the gallbladder is accessed through a large cut or incision that may be as long as 30 cm, depending on the patient’s body.

Global Partners in Anesthesia and Surgery (GPAS)

Global Partners in Anesthesia and Surgery (GPAS), a nonprofit organization, was co-founded by Dr. Doruk Ozgediz in 2006. It is a multidisciplinary collaboration with programs to develop the manpower and infrastructure to address the surgical disease locally, focusing on enhancing surgical care capacity in resource-poor areas. More recently, GPAS collaborated with the Archie Foundation, a Scottish organization, to donate two functional operating rooms to the nation.

In 2007 and 2008, he stayed in Uganda and worked full-time as a visiting surgeon at the Mulago Hospital in Kampala. He now travels to the nation up to four times a year for two to four weeks to train general surgery trainees and the new pediatric surgery fellows in both the classroom and the operating room.

General Surgery Reviews in Uganda

The skilled medical team and skilled surgeons at Uganda Hospitals are great at treating the disease. The general surgeons in Uganda provide care for the breast, skin, blood vessels, endocrine system, abdomen, and digestive tract. The hospital also boasts the top general surgeons for treating complicated ailments, along with the newest innovations and cutting-edge machinery. Because of this, general surgery reviews in Uganda are excellent, and the success rate of procedures carried out by Ugandan specialists is high.

Technologies used for General Surgery in Uganda

The Ugandan General Hospital has the following Top Technologies to treat patients:

Surgical robots
Electrosurgical Technologies
A.I.
3D printing
Intraoperative ultrasound
New imaging methods

Success Rate of General Surgery in Uganda

The Department of General Surgery at Ugandan Hospitals pairs highly skilled surgeons with state-of-the-art equipment to provide exceptional surgical success rates. To ensure a high surgical success rate, the doctors employ the most recent procedures, such as minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgeries. As a result, surgeons in Uganda stay current on the most recent advancements in surgical technology.