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Women in Medicine Initiative

In September, we launched the first Women in Medicine surgical programme in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In September, we launched the first Women in Medicine surgical programme in Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme was hosted at Kamuzu Central hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, and it changed the lives and futures of 84 families.

The female-lead team of surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, dentists and many more, carried out comprehensive health screening for anxious patients and families who had travelled to reach the programme in Lilongwe. They also took part in mentorship and training sessions to share skills and learn new techniques.

Among the participants was Dr Wone Banda, the only female plastic surgeon in Malawi, she said, ‘Medicine and surgery in particular is a field that has for a long time been dominated by males. I endeavour to contribute to change that. I want to be the reason more women join the field as they will have someone to look up to as a role model and mentor. Female patients deserve to have adequate representation in the medical field too to push for equitable distribution of care and resources.’