A doctor has returned from a three-week teaching trip in Malawi - a country home to more than 16 million people and just 15 qualified surgeons.

Paul Thomas, a surgeon specialising in hernia work at Epsom and St Helier hospitals, has travelled to the developing country twice a year for the last five years to teach surgeons there how perform hernia procedures as well as basic surgical skills and trauma life support.

Largely self-funded, Mr Thomas, through the charity he co-founded, the AMECA Trust, uses his annual leave to make the journeys.

Mr Thomas said: "Malawi is one of the most under-resourced and deprived countries in the world, especially in terms of healthcare, with a population of over 16.5 million, there are approximately just 15 qualified surgeons in the whole country.

"With far more tempting job offers in Europe, America and in other countries, most surgeons leave Malawi after gaining their qualifications, leaving behind a host of clinical officers who are passionate and intelligent, but lack ongoing training, especially in surgery and trauma management.

"On this most recent trip, we stopped at the district hospital in Livingstonia, a city named in honour of the work of the famous doctor and missionary, Dr Livingstone.

"Even this locally prestigious institution had just one qualified surgeon who had been working there every day for four years without a holiday.

"Our team at AMECA firmly believes in the ‘teach a man to fish’ mantra. By offering our skills and knowledge in the form of training to Malawi’s clinical officers, they become empowered to perform life-changing and life-saving surgeries without having to rely on western charity workers to perform these procedures for them."

Malawi is among the world's least-resourced countries, with low life expectancy and high infant death rates.

For many people living there, a hernia is often a life-threatening condition.

Mr Thomas added: "Most of the people we see who have hernias are engaged in very physical farm work.

"Once they have a hernia, the condition only worsens until that person can simply no longer perform their work, leading to loss of income and further impoverishment.

"As Westerners, it’s pretty difficult to comprehend living in these conditions."

AMECA aims to improve access to healthcare in Africa and the practice of medicine in rural African locations.

For more information visit www.ameca.org.uk.

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