SURGERY IN RURAL NIGERIA - PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A review of 1 645 major and intermediate operations performed in a 20- bed rural hospital over a period of 4 years was undertaken to highligh t the problems associated with rural surgical practice. Despite such p roblems as lack of essential facilities, poorly trained paramedical an d support staff, a commendable measure of success was achieved in term s of low rates of mortality and morbidity. This was possible through h ard work, meticulous surgical technique and sound judgement. Interesti ngly, all the cases comprising 271 major and 1 374 intermediate operat ions were performed using local, regional, light general anaesthesia o r combinations thereof, without the help of an anaesthetist. Our surgi cal training programmes should include rotations through rural surgica l units, because of the particular situations involved.