UBH makes history with hip surgeries

Zim Now Writer

United Bulawayo Hospitals last week made history by becoming one of the few health institutions in Zimbabwe to offer hip surgeries after over 20 patients registered for the procedure.

The hip arthroplasty camp kicked off on Thursday and ends today.

Zimbabweans have, over the years, been travelling to India, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia, among other foreign destinations, for complex medical procedures like organ transplants, corrective orthopaedic hip replacements and knee replacement procedures.

This trend had been occasioned by limited expertise in performing these procedures in the country as well as exorbitant costs.

Total hip replacements cost anything upwards of US$30 000, forcing many to abort surgeries and live with hip disabilities.

A few private hospitals in the capital, Harare do hip surgery in the country.

An orthopaedic surgeon who did one of the surgeries, Bhekinkosi Swele, said the purpose of the UBH camp was to help people who require hip replacement surgery.

“This is a skills transfer camp and we hope to keep the programme going even after the camp is done and the advantage is that these services are being offered in a public hospital, hence it will become more affordable,” Swele said.

Another orthopedic surgeon, Jabulile Mthethwa, said people should not live with hip disabilities.

“Africans tend to be stoic, sit on things and accept disability,” Mthethwa said.

“In this day and age there is no need to accept disability, there are options provided locally which are now affordable.

“There is a difference now since we are a public hospital and patients will now get affordable, but not compromised care within their own hospital setting.”

UBH chief medical officer William Busumani said patients with hip problems were being forced to travel to Harare or cross the borders for hip replacement.

He added that the procedure was expensive but will now be affordable because it is being offered at a government institution.