ST. LOUIS - In Kenya, a country of almost 29 million people, there are only eight neurosurgeons. On Sept. 1, a neurosurgical team from Saint Louis University, along with other St. Louis area physicians and nurses, will head to Kenya to perform brain surgeries for patients in desperate need.
Kenneth R. Smith Jr., M.D., director of the division of neurosurgery, Paul H. Young, M.D., professor of neurosurgery and anatomy, and Connie Pickering, N.P., a neurosurgical nurse at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, are heading to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya for the second time. The team will be there about two weeks, performing as many procedures as time allows, at no charge.
It's 14 hour days, yet according to Dr. Smith, "the learning and teaching experience combined makes for a fascinating mission." They will also host lectures and discussions on trends and techniques in the field.
Dr. Smith, Dr. Young and Pickering went to Kenya last year and had a rewarding, eye-opening experience. Kenyatta National Hospital has a capacity of 2,000, but often the facility exceeds that number of patients. "In many cases, two patients had to share a bed," Pickering said. "The equipment is very outdated and there's little in the way of provisions and medical supplies."
But Pickering also was inspired by what she saw and the people she met. "What struck me when we were there last year was the eagerness of the medical staff to learn. They had such positive attitudes and were really soaking up everything we were doing, by observing and asking questions. They were so enthusiastic and earnest to expand their knowledge, to make things better for their patients."
The team performed 26 surgeries last year and the procedures needed ran the gamut, for patients that were 2 days old to adults in their 50s. "One thing that is hard to see is that many of the patients had conditions that could have been prevented with proper prenatal care, such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus," Pickering said.
Pickering said the experience also gave her a different perspective, which she wishes others in our country could see. "People in the United States complain about our health care system, and of waiting hours or days to get in to see a doctor," Pickering said. " In Kenya, patients often wait months or years for something as crucial as brain surgery."
Last year, the team brought over as many supplies and goods as possible, such as medical supplies, toys and books for children, and basics such as bed sheets and diapers. Pickering gave her stethoscope to the nurses she was working with, since they did not have one among them.
The idea of sending a neurosurgical team to Kenya came about when Kenyan neurosurgeons participated in a class at the Practical Anatomy Workshop at Saint Louis University and spoke with Dr. Young. The Practical Anatomy Workshop is regarded as the finest hands-on, educational facility in the world and draws physicians from dozens of different countries every year.
The instruction in advanced neurosurgical techniques was greatly beneficial for the Kenyan surgeons. They fostered a relationship with the Saint Louis University instructors and communicated to them the great need for brain surgeries in their country. This will be Dr. Young's third trip to Nairobi for teaching and performing neurosurgical procedures.
If you would like to donate toys, books or health care items to the people in need at Kenyatta National Hospital, please call (314) 577-8795. Even if the items arrive after the team has left for Kenya, the team can arrange for donations to be shipped to the hospital.
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Editor's Note: Dr. Smith is a resident of the city of St. Louis and Connie Pickering resides in St. Charles, Mo. Photographs of their trip to Kenya last year are available.
To arrange an interview with Dr. Smith or Connie Pickering, please contact Jennifer Frakes, health sciences center media relations, at (314) 977-8018.
