surgery

A child is treated for second degree burns at the L’Arche de Kigobe trauma centre

Treating burns in Burundi: "How do we explain this to children?"

Burns are common at L'Arche de Kigobe trauma centre in Burundi. But how do you explain the often painful treatment to children? Anaesthetist Kariantti grapples with this question as he cares for two young patients.

17 Jan 2020 / 3 minute read

Patients at MSF's L’Arche de Kigobe trauma centre in Bujumbura, Burundi

Kariantti Kallio

Anaesthetics

"Luckily, our care is free": Inside L'Arche de Kigobe trauma centre

MSF often hits the headlines when an emergency breaks in the news, such as a natural disaster or war, but we also provide day-to-day healthcare in places such as Bujumbura, Burundi. Anaesthetist Kariantti takes us inside L’Arche de Kigobe trauma centre.

13 Dec 2019 / 4 minute read

MSF's L’Arche de Kigobe trauma centre in Bujumbura, Burundi

Kariantti Kallio

Anaesthetics

Treating trauma on the shores of Tanganyika

From the picturesque shores of the great Lake Tanganyika, anaesthetist Kariantti shares his first impressions of Burundi's biggest city, Bujumbura, where MSF runs a trauma hospital. It's not long before he is called into emergency surgery...

13 Dec 2019 / 5 minute read

Emergency surgery at Al Salakhanah hospital in Yemen

Heidi Wikstrom

Surgeon

Yemen: Good complaints

After a patient makes an astonishing recovery, Finnish surgeon Heidi reflects on the wider problem of providing medical care in places where resources are limited

16 Sep 2019 / 3 minute read

Heidi outside the MSF health centre in Yemen

Heidi Wikstrom

Surgeon

Yemen: A dangerous diagnosis

Finnish surgeon Heidi Wikstrom has just arrived in Yemen, where an unexpected diagnosis could have a wider impact in the community

30 Aug 2019 / 5 minute read

Pippa Letchworth

Obstetrician / Gynaecologist

Obstetrics in Nigeria: Meeting the “real heroes”

Pippa is an obstetrics and gynaecology consultant from the UK on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Jahun, part of northern Nigeria’s Jigawa state – an area where high numbers of women and children die during childbirth. In this blog, she shares her experience of meeting a local surgeon.

02 Oct 2018 / 3 minute read

Kariantti Kallio

Anaesthetics

After the fight: Returning to routine in Bangui

After nearby conflict forced his MSF team to evacuate a maternity hospital in Bangui, Central African Republic, Finnish anaesthetist Kariantti writes about returning to routine in the days following the fighting.

01 Oct 2018 / 3 minute read

An MSF ambulance arrives at the Castor maternity hospital in Bangui.

Kariantti Kallio

Anaesthetics

Operating under fire: Keeping calm in Bangui

Fighting rages near an MSF maternity hospital in Bangui, Central African Republic. Inside, Finnish anaesthetist Kariantti and his team try to remain calm as they continue to operate on women in need of urgent obstetric surgery.

21 Sep 2018 / 4 minute read

Kariantti Kallio

Anaesthetics

“War isn’t just about gunshot wounds”: Maternity care in Bangui

Welcome to Castors maternity hospital, the “first and last line of defence” for mothers and newborns in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. Finnish anaesthetist Kariantti, just back from his second assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF), shares his experience of arriving at the lifesaving hospital.

10 Sep 2018 / 5 minute read

Pippa Letchworth

Obstetrician / Gynaecologist

Wound day: Helping new mums in Nigeria fight infection

Pippa is an obstetrics and gynaecology consultant from the UK. She is currently on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Jahun, part of northern Nigeria’s Jigawa state – working on a maternity project in an area where a high number of women and children die during childbirth. In this blog, she shares how her team treats women for complicated infections after a caesarean.

06 Sep 2018 / 4 minute read

Heidi Wikstrom

Surgeon

Surgery in Agok: Some patients you remember forever

Some patients you remember forever. Heidi shares this emotional blog from the Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Agok, which lies in a special administrative area between Sudan and South Sudan.

18 Aug 2018 / 4 minute read

Martin Kašpar

Surgeon

Why I’ll never forget my first day as a surgeon in Iraq

Martin Kašpar is a Czech surgeon currently on his first assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the city of al Qayyarah, Iraq. In this blog, he writes about his dramatic first day, treating young patients involved in tragic incidents.

17 Aug 2018 / 5 minute read

surgery

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