Service Above Self in the operating theatre – Medical mission in Ghana as a Rotarian and urologist working for ‘Doctors for Africa’

The association “Doctors for Africa”, founded in 2007 by a Rotarian, supports eight hospitals in remote rural areas of Ghana and The Gambia. Without this humanitarian aid, many people would have no access to urological care. The speaker has been an active member for many years and has already travelled “in the footsteps of Albert Schweitzer” on several occasions in Africa and the Middle East. The talk describes everyday medical life in the operating theatre, on the ward and in the outpatient clinic, amidst limited resources, improvisation, personal responsibility and the dedication of local teams. In addition to the surgical challenges, the talk also addresses cultural differences, patients’ fates, hygiene, training, sustainability, organisation, and the question of what modern medicine really needs.