2025 Cohort Biographies

MD of Surgery, Professor of Obesity Surgery Ain Shams University, holdin MRCS England, Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Board Certified-the American Board of Laser Surgery.

Reason for participating

I am participating in the course to exchange experiences with my colleagues from all over the world.

Title of innovation

Adoption of Sustainable Surgery practices to reduce carbon footprint

Description: The practices aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to surgical practices through adoption of green surgery principles like use of regional instead of general anesthesia, use of UPS instead of generators and applying energy efficient systems in my surgical center.

Hamdi Abdalkareem Abdalla Abdalrhman is a dedicated medical doctor committed to enhancing surgical care and medical education in remote and rural areas. He is an equity and global surgery advocate. A graduate of Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan, he gained clinical experience with the Sudanese Ministry of Health before pursuing an MBA in hospital administration at JSS University.

As a former research department director and current research officer at the Sudanese Consortium for Surgical Development (SCSD), Dr. Hamdi focuses on improving surgical practices, education, and research in Sudan. He is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance surgical care delivery and medical education in underserved areas.

Dr. Hamdi's commitment to surgery and global surgery is evident through his affiliations with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh—Faculty of Remote Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare and his fellowship with Medics.Academy. These roles underscore his dedication to advancing surgical care in challenging environments and his pursuit of lifelong learning in the field of global surgery.

Reasons for participating in this program

My motivation for the Global Surgery Slingshot Program at Babson College stems from a deep commitment to improving medical education and patient care in underserved areas, particularly in lower middle-income countries like Sudan. As a first-generation doctor with experience in clinical practice, medical education, hospital administration, and research, I recognize the transformative potential of technology-enabled services in addressing critical healthcare challenges.

Growing up in a conflict-affected region, I witnessed the devastating impact of inadequate medical care and education, fueling my ambition to serve underprivileged communities. The lack of medical education and training opportunities in surgical specialties is a significant problem in LMICs, contributing to challenges in improving surgical care access and quality in rural areas.

My involvement with SCSD has deepened my understanding of global surgery challenges. The program's focus on entrepreneurship and business model development is particularly appealing, as I aim to enhance my skills in smart design thinking and develop impactful innovations for surgical education and care delivery.

This program represents a pivotal opportunity to become a leader in global surgery innovation.

Innovation

SurgEdge: Integrated E-Learning and Telemedicine for Remote and Rural Surgeons

My innovation aimed at developing an innovative system integration that combines e-learning with telemedicine software capabilities. This solution addresses the accessibility challenges for knowledge and skills development among surgeons in rural and remote areas by offering:

1. An online surgical education platform featuring courses on common surgical conditions, trauma patient management, hospital administration, and healthcare leadership training.
2. A software app with telemedicine and tele-mentoring features, connecting rural practitioners with experienced surgeons for guidance.

This dual-approach system enables continuous skill development and guidance during procedures, effectively bridging the surgical training gap in resource-limited settings.

Elaf Abdelraheem is a dedicated Sudanese medical student and an emerging leader in global surgery advocacy. Currently serving as the Communication and Advocacy Department Director of the Sudanese Consortium for Surgical Development (SCSD), Elaf is committed to addressing the disparities in surgical care in Sudan. Her work focuses on implementing National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) to decentralize surgical services and build sustainable healthcare infrastructure. With a strong background in media, communication, stakeholder engagement, and organizing awareness campaigns, Elaf is passionate about empowering her community through innovative and equitable healthcare solutions.

Reasons for Participation

I am excited to participate in the Global Surgery Slingshot Program because it aligns with my passion for improving surgical care in Sudan and my personal mission to address healthcare inequities. This program provides me with the opportunity to develop skills in designing scalable solutions, building sustainable business models, and engaging with global stakeholders in meaningful ways.

Through my role as the Communication and Advocacy Department Director of the Sudanese Consortium for Surgical Development (SCSD), I have seen firsthand the challenges our healthcare system faces. This program will allow me to refine my advocacy strategies, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and learn from global experts to implement impactful solutions like the National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs).

By participating in this program, I hope to gain practical tools and insights to address Sudan’s surgical challenges and contribute to a broader movement for equitable healthcare in low-resource settings. It is an opportunity for me to grow professionally while making a tangible impact on the lives of underserved populations.

Innovation Details

Name/Title: National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) for Sudan

Description: We are working on introducing National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) in Sudan to address the critical gaps in surgical care access and quality. Our goal is to decentralize surgical services, ensuring equitable access for rural and underserved populations. This initiative prioritizes strengthening training programs for healthcare providers, rebuilding healthcare infrastructure damaged by years of conflict, and fostering collaboration with academic institutions, government bodies, and international partners.

By focusing on sustainability, we aim to create an efficient surgical system that mitigates workforce shortages, enhances facilities, and raises public awareness of surgical care’s importance. Together, we believe this comprehensive approach will significantly reduce the burden of surgical diseases and improve health outcomes for Sudanese communities.

Tangmi Djabo Eric Adrien, a Cameroonian medical doctor trained at the faculty of medicine at the Université Technologique Bel Campus in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, holds a bachelor's degree of science in biomedical sciences. He is a global health research and neurosurgery enthusiast, constantly willing to assume a leadership position. He is the past and current research director at the Association of Future African Neurosurgeons (AFAN) and a former Global Surgery, SOTA (Obstetrics, Traumatology, and Anesthesia) care fellow at the G4 Alliance francophone zone. As a successful applicant for the PGDip in Global Health Research at the University of Oxford, Adrien is a dedicated individual, passionate about improving access to affordable, timely, quality health care in low- and middle-income countries. He possesses demonstrated leadership skills, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.
Adrien developed a strong interest in public health, particularly concerning the social determinants of health and the impact of health policies on vulnerable populations. Adrien is armed with a strong background in public health research and a keen analytical mindset. He is committed to employing data-driven insights to improve health outcomes. His experience includes conducting rigorous research to identify disease risk factors often exacerbated by social inequalities, designing comprehensive studies, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to study health disparities, and proposing solutions to build sustainable and resilient health systems.

Reasons for applying

Adrien decided to apply for the Global Surgery Slingshot Program because he finds it fantastic and suitable for him, as he is interested in developing the additional entrepreneurial skills needed for a global health career. He would like to enhance his experience and pursue a global health career that allows him to be innovative and helpful to populations with limited resources and improve their health systems.

Innovation

Development of a mobile application to enhance surgical care and monitoring globally

Description of innovation: The innovation concerns Using artificial intelligence to improve monitoring of global surgeries. The “care” part of the title refers to the services that will be offered to the patients in need, and the “monitoring” part refers to the research component that the application will include. The goal is to record and provide real data useful for evidence-based research. This will help policymakers develop effective health policies that are culturally sensitive and contextually relevant.

During this program, he plans to develop a culturally sensitive and contextually relevant solution to surgical burdens globally. He is particularly interested in exploring how digital health technologies can be integrated into global health initiatives, as these tools can improve access to information and services, especially in underserved communities. Adrien plans to give the very best of himself. By collaborating with fellow students and faculty, he aims to contribute to developing a technology-based solution to leveraging surgical practices and enhancing global surgery monitoring. He is convinced that this program is the spark he needs to launch his global health aspirations effectively.

Chief Executive Assistant | Medical Doctor | Health Services Leader

I am a compassionate medical doctor with over four years of leadership experience, currently serving as the Chief Executive Assistant at Alert Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Has successfully led diverse teams and implemented impactful healthcare solutions, including establishing a rural hospital system serving 150,000 people. I’m dedicated to improving healthcare access and surgical care, particularly in underserved regions. Aligned with Alert Hospital's vision to become a regional center of excellence by 2030, and committed to advancing global surgery initiatives, driving innovation, and ensuring equitable healthcare delivery.

Reason for participating in the global slingshot

I am participating in the Global Surgery Slingshot to enhance my ability to improve surgical care in underserved regions. By collaborating with global experts, I aim to gain insights and strategies that align with my mission to drive innovation and improve healthcare access at Alert Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and beyond.

Title of Innovation

“Maternal and Neonatal Surgical Emergency Response System”

Description

Maternal and neonatal emergencies requiring surgical intervention (e.g., emergency cesarean sections, neonatal resuscitation, and surgery for congenital anomalies) can occur unexpectedly and often require immediate, coordinated responses.

The innovation seeks to establish a system for managing such emergencies by improving pre-hospital care, hospital preparedness, and post-surgery recovery, especially for high-risk mothers and newborns.

I am Botora Gigashu Birbo (MD), a dedicated and passionate General Surgeon working towards improving the provision of quality and safe person-centered surgical care.

I graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from Haramaya University and pursued my training in General Surgery at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and graduated in 2023. My passion in a general surgery career emanates from my desire to give care to those groups of communities who cannot easily access the service. I have been working in different setups with extreme resource limitations (in Ethiopia and Somaliland) where it is hard to find timely, safe, and quality surgical care. Both emergency and elective surgical procedures are not affordable and accessible for those communities located remote from the cities. In resource-limited setups, surgical care is tough to find due to different reasons like human resources limitations, lack of infrastructure, and leadership hurdles.

My Innovation: Addressing Quality improvement and Patient Safety gaps in resource limited setup.

It is known that accessibility of quality health care in low-income countries is an unresolved challenge with multifactorial causes, amongst which are poor infrastructure availability, lack of trained staff and leaders as well as communities engagement. My project will focus on quality improvement in health care and patient safety, where safe, timely, equitable, efficient, and effective person-centered care will be easily accessible to those underserved and underprivileged parts of communities. This requires system change/thinking, good leadership culture, and active engagement of the care provider as well as communities. My project will primarily focus on health care facilities with limited resource availabilities through training and provision of basic infrastructure facilities through collaboration with international NGOs, government stakeholders, and leaders at different levels.

Why Babson College?

Since the college is known for its entrepreneurial thoughts and practices, which are crucial for enacting systemic change in organizations, the coaching, networking opportunities, and experience exchanged will be beneficial in bringing about, implementing, and sustainably replicating these changes as well as supporting the delivery of quality and safe healthcare.

Dr. Kashmira Chawla, MD, MSc is an anesthesiologist, with specialty training in thoracic anesthesia and perioperative care, working at the Mayo Clinic. Her medical and public health training has led her through Weill Cornell Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

She is passionate about strengthening global perioperative healthcare delivery, through a human-centered design approach, and democratizing digital health. She has led and contributed to global public health programming and research endeavors in Malawi, Honduras, India, Thailand, Eswatini, and Zambia. Kashmira has also engaged in global delivery of technological healthcare services for vulnerable populations at Medtronic and the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation. She approaches innovation in low-resource settings with curiosity, frugality, practicality, and a strong scientific evidence base. Her global healthcare innovation and equity work has been published in NEJM, The Hill, and Health Affairs.

Why the Surgery Slingshot Program

I am excited to learn skills sets of business strategy, fundraising, and team building to help us build a more effective organization. I look forward to connecting with like-minded peers and developing friendships and collaborations.

Empower Care Innovations, Inc

Millions of patients die after surgery in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), while still in the hospital, for potentially avoidable causes. Many of these preventable deaths are related to post-surgery care. Frequently, in these settings with limited availability of surgeons and anesthesiologists, much of this care is provided by frontline health professionals who lack the necessary clinical support to deliver high quality post-surgery care. Globally, there are gaps in the adherence to universally recommended management guidelines for common post-surgery complications.
 
This is where we come in. We are a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving anesthesia care for patients in low-resource settings by empowering frontline healthcare professionals with innovative digital health tools. We are working to co-develop essential, reliable, and actionable smartphone-based clinical support tools for bedside healthcare workers to provide consistent, high-quality care after surgery. Currently, we are piloting a digital tool prototype in Zambia for post-caesarean section care.

Shirley Sarah Dadson is a dedicated medical student at the University of Ghana Medical School with a passion for healthcare innovation and global surgery. As the Vice President of AfroPRS (Association of Future African Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons) in Ghana, Shirley is committed to empowering the next generation of plastic and reconstructive surgeons, while advancing surgical practices and fostering collaboration across the continent to improve plastic surgery patient outcomes. With a vision for accessible and transformative healthcare solutions, Shirley plays a pivotal role in promoting innovation, education, and mentorship within the surgical community. She actively participates in conferences and initiatives aimed at addressing pressing challenges in surgery and healthcare. Shirley continues to inspire others through her impactful work and advocacy. Her role as a speaker at prestigious events, such as the 24th COSECSA Conference in Zimbabwe, highlights her commitment to driving meaningful change in global surgery. When she’s not studying or working, Shirley enjoys engaging with like-minded professionals, mentoring young innovators, and exploring new strategies to shape the future of healthcare.

Reasons for participating in this course

I am participating in this course to gain the necessary innovative and leadership skills to transform AfroPRS (Association of Future African Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons) into a sustainable and impactful organization. I aim to leverage the program's mentorship, collaborative environment, and practical tools to refine our strategies, scale our initiatives, and make a lasting impact on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Africa. This course will also help me connect with like-minded innovators to exchange ideas and solutions for advancing global surgical care.

Innovation

Name/title: AfroPRS (Association of Future African Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons)

Innovation description: AfroPRS is dedicated to empowering the next generation of African Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, with mentorship as its cornerstone. The organization’s mission is to establish itself as an African hub for education, research, and collaboration in plastic and reconstructive surgery. AfroPRS focuses on increasing African research visibility, contributing to the Plastic Surgeons Index, and driving policy and advocacy for safe and affordable surgical care across the continent.

Signature initiatives include educational webinars, fostering research collaborations, promoting women in surgery, and utilizing social media engagement to build a connected and informed community. AfroPRS envisions a future where African surgeons lead in innovation and expertise while addressing the unique surgical challenges of the region.

Raidah R. Gangji, MD is an intern doctor at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; with a passion about addressing healthcare challenges in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and improving surgical care. With firsthand experience in these settings, witnessing challenges that affect the safety and outcomes of surgeries, this fueled my commitment to innovation in medical technology that can make a meaningful difference in low-resource surgical settings.

Reasons for Participating in the Program

This program would further develop the innovation while collaborating with like-minded visionaries who share the goal of improving global surgery, particularly in LMICs.  The program offers an incredible opportunity to gain mentorship, expand my network, and refine my approach to creating solutions that can enhance surgical outcomes in low-resource surgical settings. I am eager to contribute to the global surgery movement by collaborating with experts and gaining the skills necessary to scale my innovation, ultimately improving patient safety and surgical efficiency in settings where it matters most.

Innovation

Title of Innovation: Gravity-Assisted Fluid Collection Tray

Short Description: The gravity-assisted fluid collection tray is designed to address a significant issue in low-resource surgical settings: the lack of reliable and cost-effective fluid management systems during surgeries. Many LMICs face the challenge of limited electricity and access to specialized equipment for handling fluids and organs during surgeries such as laparotomies. By transforming traditional electric suction devices into a gravity-based system, this design offers a sustainable, electricity-independent solution while ensuring safe and effective fluid collection. Additionally, the device also doubles as a flexible organ containment tool, improving the clarity of the surgical field. This adaptation reduces costs, making it an ideal proposed solution for low-resource surgical settings.

Dr. Samba Jalloh is a Medical Doctor/Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Researcher, American  Heart Association Basic Life Support Instructor, Bleeding Control Basic V. 1.0 Course "Stop the Bleed" instructor through the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, a co-author  to some publications under the American Journal of Surgery; and he has served as the Director of Research for the Junior Doctors Association of Sierra Leone; and also served as the Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) for four years. Presently, he is the Vice President of SLMDA. He holds Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree from  College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences; and Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Pure and Applied  Sciences (Biological Sciences) from  Fourah Bay College. In addition,  he is focused  to contribute towards global healthcare delivery evidence based via his career path as Medical Doctor and actively participating as the National Representative in the free surgical missions organized by the International Surgical Health Initiative (ISHI) and Saving Life Initiatives. In addition, he is the Country Representative of the Foundation for the Localization and Innovation of Global Health Technologies (F.L.I.G.H.T.) in Sierra Leone, main office based in Texas, USA.  Moreover, he is the founder and CEO of GS HEAD (Global Summit for Health Environment Agriculture and Development) aiming at boosting the socioeconomic status for young people; and in 2019, he received the Drs. Anvar and Pari Velji Young African LeaderAward in Global Health through the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) during the 10th Annual CUGH Conference in Chicago, illinois, USA. Notwithstanding the hectic responsibilities, Dr.  Samba Jalloh is diversified; and he is the owner of Maryam Empire Investments and also the CEO of SPACE TIME LIMITED. Dr. Samba Jalloh is a member of ACAIM (American College of Academic International Medicine); and he is also a  member of the Global Health Research Team in Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA.

Reasons for Participating in this course

Ensure that my innovation is supported/ modified and implemented as required;

Learn more from my instructors and members of 2025 Cohort during  the Second Babson  College Global Surgery Slingshot;

Collaborate with international institutions/healthcare facilities to reduce wastage of import surgical instruments/medical devices that can be fixed as required for reuse in our low resource country;

Increase the environment/public health safety and the quality of surgical outcomes through the strategies of my innovation.

My Innovation Title

Medical Waste Management  Recycling & Repurposing  (R&R) Complex (focusing on surgical instruments/medical devices)

Innovation Description

My innovation is focused on a new and unique way of medical waste management with the considerations of recycling and repurposing of the medical wastes (in addition to pondering and creating certain products based on continuous Research & Development). Moreover, the Medical Waste Management will focus on recycling and repurposing of surgical instruments/medical devices (and other medical wastes as required) to increase the availability of such medical supplies for improved quality of surgical outcome in our low resource country. The Research and Development (R&D) will ensure sustainability and modifications  through continuous needs assessments and identifications of the GAP and provision of the required solution.

I am a dedicated plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a strong foundation in general surgery, which I completed before subspecializing in plastic surgery at Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences. Over the past four years, I have served as an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, where I also held leadership roles as the Clinical Vice Head and Acting Head of the Plastic Surgery Unit.

My clinical expertise lies in burn care, and I work at one of Ethiopia's leading referrals burn centers, treating a significant number of burn victims, including both children and adults. This hands-on experience has fueled my passion for research and innovation in burn management. I conducted a comprehensive study on the prevalence of burn mortality, utilizing data from the country’s two pioneering burn centers. The research identified critical factors contributing to burn mortality, shedding light on systemic gaps and areas for improvement.

This work has deepened my commitment to addressing the challenges of burn care in low-resource settings. From financial constraints that hinder routine investigations to the infrequent use of microbial cultures, I am driven to find practical and sustainable solutions to reduce burn mortality and enhance patient outcomes. My aim is to bridge these gaps and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of healthcare in resource-constrained environments.

Reasons for Participating in This Course

I am participating in this course to gain insights into the application of advanced technology, particularly AI, to healthcare innovation. My aim is to enhance my skills in identifying and implementing scalable, impactful solutions tailored to resource-limited settings. This course will provide the knowledge and network needed to refine my innovation and introduce sustainable practices that improve outcomes for burn patients in Ethiopia.

Title of My Innovation

AI-Driven Early Detection and Fluid Resuscitation Optimization for Acute Burn Patients

Description of My Innovation

My innovation utilizes AI technology to address critical challenges in burn care by focusing on two key areas: (1) the early detection of sepsis and infections through real-time analysis of patient data, enabling timely clinical interventions, and (2) the optimization of fluid resuscitation using AI algorithms that dynamically adjust fluid requirements based on real-time metrics. These solutions aim to reduce mortality, prevent complications, and improve recovery outcomes for burn patients, particularly in low-resource settings like AaBET Hospital. The innovation has the potential to serve as a model for enhancing burn care in similar healthcare systems.

I am a dedicated junior doctor with a special interest in global surgery, particularly for underserved rural communities. I dedicate myself to promoting surgical access through Community based approaches such as health education, and capacity building. My commitment stems from firsthand experience of surgical burdens through surgical camps, research projects and other health related projects with organizations such as Bulamu healthcare, and G4 Alliance Children’s surgery working group.

Reasons for participating the course

I strongly believe that through the Babson College’s Global Surgery Slingshot program, I will be in position to share ideas and learn from a group of like minded people in order to fulfill my dream of making a positive impact in the underserved rural communities in Uganda and beyond through surgical care delivery.

Innovation

Innovation Name: Know it Health Foundation (KHF)
KHF is an initiative that promotes surgical care outside the sterile walls/ operation rooms through a community-based approach.

It seeks to empower rural communities with basic knowledge to make well informed health decisions concerning pediatric surgical conditions. Despite financial barriers being the predominant factor for unmet surgical needs, community health illiteracy plays a significant role to unmet surgical needs. Many people have no ideas about surgical conditions, when and where to seek surgical services from. This Leeds to delayed diagnosis, permanent disabilities and preventable death.

The initiative aims to identify the most pressing pediatric surgical conditions per region, provision of basic information for prevention, early detection and guidance on when and where to seek surgical services. The initiative also seeks to act as a link between other surgical service providers and the rural communities.

Our vision

We envision a world leading to a new generation of people with the ability to make well informed health decisions regarding common surgical conditions.

Mrinmoy Kundu is a final-year MBBS student at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, India. He has a strong academic foundation with over 40 peer-reviewed publications on Neurosurgery, Global health and Artificial intelligence in medicine. In addition, he has contributed to multiple book chapters on neurosurgery and global health, showcasing his dedication to advancing medical knowledge. Mrinmoy has actively participated in global research collaborations, including the GloMNMS Study and other initiatives addressing mentorship in Neurosurgery and healthcare disparities. He is the co-founder of ICORMed Collaborative, a global research platform designed to foster seamless collaboration and innovation in medical research. He had served as an editorial board member for BMC Neurology and a peer reviewer for multiple leading medical journals.

Reasons for Participating

Through this program, I aim to deeply understand the entrepreneurial mechanisms that can convert medical innovations into impactful, viable solutions. By learning from Babson College’s renowned entrepreneurial methodology, I seek to acquire strategic insights necessary to bridge the gap between technological innovation and practical implementation in global surgery.

Innovation

Name: Mobile Neurosurgical Suite

Innovation Description: In my research endeavors, I have explored the transformative potential of deployable, self-contained neurosurgical units—an approach to addressing surgical access in underserved regions. This innovation targets critical neurosurgical interventions across multiple domains:

Trauma Neurosurgery:

1. Acute traumatic brain injury management
2. Emergency cranial decompression
3. Evacuation of intracranial hemorrhages
4. Acute spinal cord injury interventions

Tumor Neurosurgery:

1. Minimally invasive brain tumor resections
2. Stereotactic biopsies
3. Emergency tumor-related interventions

Neurotrauma and Emergency Interventions:

1. Rapid response to road traffic accidents
2. Emergency craniotomies

I am Misha Abayneh Lemma, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon from Ethiopia. My training was primarily based at the largest trauma center in the country, where I have gained extensive experience in managing hand injuries, peripheral nerve injuries, and congenital hand conditions. I am deeply passionate about advancing surgical care through innovation and system improvement. Additionally, I am actively involved in research and mentorship, having authored studies on digital health and reconstructive surgery while mentoring junior residents to help shape the future of the specialty.

Reasons for Participating in the Course

I am passionate about leveraging innovation to address the significant gaps in surgical care in resource-limited settings. This course provides an excellent platform to refine my ideas, gain mentorship, and develop strategies to implement scalable solutions. It aligns with my mission to pioneer advanced surgical care in Ethiopia and improve access to quality healthcare for underserved communities.

Name/Title of the Innovation

"Telemedicine for Surgical Coaching in Tertiary Hospitals in LMICs"

Description of the Innovation

This initiative utilizes telemedicine technology to provide real-time coaching and mentorship to surgeons in tertiary healthcare facilities. By connecting specialists from advanced centers with surgeons in resource-limited settings, the innovation aims to improve surgical outcomes, enhance skills, and address disparities in access to expert guidance. It is a scalable solution designed to strengthen surgical systems and foster continuous learning.

Am Zebiba Meka Mohamed was born and raised in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. She completed her medical degree at Gondar University a decade ago and recently specialized in plastic surgery.

Reason for joining program

During her residency, she became curious about a significant issue of her patients: the late presentation of malignancy patients, often at advanced stages of their diseases. This curiosity motivated her to conduct research on the factors contributing to this delay. Although her research has not been completed yet, the findings revealed that many patients are referred late by primary healthcare providers.

Driven by these facts, she is planning to develop an application designed to support primary healthcare professionals. This tool aims to enhance diagnostic accuracy and facilitate timely interventions for patients, ultimately bridging the gap in early cancer detection and treatment.

She hopes that being part of this program will guide her on how she can achieve her goal of developing the application which will help those primary healthcare providers in timely diagnosing and referring cancer patients.

Name of Innovation

Cancer detector

An application will be developed which will help primary health care workers at remote areas who don’t have detailed knowledge about malignancy so that they can refer the patient early to a higher hospital. The application will be developed by adding various symptoms and signs of malignancy and some pictures of malignancy so whenever health care workers add symptoms and signs of the patient, the application will analyze the data entered and give suggestions.

Dr. Godfrey Sama Philipo is an MD working as a Research and Patients Outcomes Coordinator at the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), currently leading the implementation of Global Surgery Research and/or programs under the RCSI/COSECSA Collaboration Programme and the COSECSA-Intuitive Foundation program. Dr Philipo completed his Doctor of Medicine (M.D) training at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Tanzania, a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Southern Medical University (SMU) in China, a Master of Global Surgical Care (MGSC) from UBC, and a Global Surgery Fellowship from the Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) at UCSF. Dr Philipo was a co-Coordinator the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA) Global Surgery Small Working Group, and co-founded the International Students Surgical Network (InciSioN). He served as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the MUHAS-ORCI-UCSF Cancer Collaboration in Tanzania, mainly responsible for the Breast Cancer and Surgical Simulation project. Dr Philipo has done some research on Children Surgery Research in Tanzania, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and the German Society for Global and Tropical Surgery. He supported the NGO Kids Operation Room (KidsOR) to develop National plans to strengthen paediatric surgical services in Botswana and Uganda. His is interested in incorporating implementation science in global surgery research, training and policy.

Reasons for participating in this course

Dr Philipo hopes to learn new ways of thinking, entrepreneurial skills and business models to enable him package ideas in a way it will to attract funding for scaling up best practices in surgical care. By being part of this training, he hopes to meet and collaborate with like-minded people who have the expertise in development similar interventions.

Innovation

Explore locally available materials to be used to improve care of babies born with gastroschisis. Dr Philipo is a member and researcher with the TINY Tanzania Network, with teams from 9 regional hospitals interested in improving outcomes of babies born with gastroschisis in Tanzania. Currently, there is no local supply of silobags in Tanzania. Designing and implementing low-cost locally made silobags can sustainably improve outcomes of these babies. The impact may be in the whole neonatal surgical procedures as gastroschisis is a bellwether procedure for neonatal surgery.

Dr. BIZOZA Yves, MD, D.E.S Gen Surgery, Fellow Ped Surg, Current Fellow in Plastic and Hand Surgery

I enjoy helping minorities, I’m a fervent defender of access to essential surgery care in low settings countries, advocator of global surgery.

Founder of Global Surgery Samaritan (Accueil - Global Surgery Samaritan), 2020 Certified Medical Research with 7 publications, 2022 IFSSH Fellow, 2023 Martinique Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Speak 6 languages (En, Fr, Ger, Swa, Kir, Amh) 

I like chess, reading, traveling and climbing mountains.

Reasons to participate

As I like global surgery and as a founder of global surgery, I would like to enhance my knowledge in Global Surgery and be able to help people efficiently.

Innovation

AI for early detection of skin cancer in Albino people

Our goal is to create an artificial intelligence application that can identify skin cancer in its early stages. Together with experts in artificial intelligence, medical professionals will create the application.