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PAACS Urology Task Force 

Why a PAACS Urology Task Force? 

The Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) was created to train African surgeons to offer physical healing and spiritual hope in Jesus' name to Africa's sick and suffering.  The intermediate goal is train 100 excellent African surgeons in Africa by the year 2020, who will then go and serve in their own countries. 

The PAACS Urology Task Force exists to help PAACS in that goal. But why a separate task force for urologists?

The Need

Because of the lack of specialists, general surgeons in Africa have a much broader practice than in the west. Missionary surgeons estimate that up to 20% of their caseloads are urologic problems. Well-trained surgeons in Africa must be trained in urology as well as other specialties not typically included in the generals surgery training in Western residents.

Up to now, many intrepid urologists have felt called to contribute their time and expertise to help train these eager African residents, but most can only stay at a mission hospital for relatively short periods of time, limiting the impact of their efforts. They must use the equipment that is available, which is often old, poorly maintained, and with limited disposable elements.  That hampers effective training.  Industry is reluctant to contribute in meaningful ways to these individual efforts because of the lack of long lasting impact and the lack of proper long term care for the instruments they would supply.

The Solution

A group of urologists who feel called to help train and disciple these African surgeons to become Christian surgeons in their own countries and thereby have a far greater impact than any western missionary surgeon can have. Through proper organization and cooperative efforts, many of the the hurdles to this goal mentioned above can be over come. The task force will seek to:

• Organize several 2-3 month urology rotations per year on site to effectively train PAACS residents and help disciple them in their Christian walk.  Multiple urologists would come for shorter, consecutive and back-to-back trips to cover the rotation.  Several well-equipped sites would the foundations for these rotations so that equipment could be supplied and maintained, thus facilitating the training.   Urologists in North America who may not be able to to go personally can serve as senders.  Prayer support for the rotations will be essential as well as financial contributions for equipment needs, travel and housing expenses for the PAACS residents.
• Develop a curriculum based on what a general surgeon in Africa needs to know about urologic problems and a set of core competencies to treat these diseases.  The curriculum would include evaluation tools to test the residents.
• Support African urologists that are committed to serving with PAACS to accomplish their goals.
• Pursue industry support for the organization as it grows and become an effective force.

What has been accomplished so far?

1. An initial 2-3 month urology rotation at Tenwek Hospital, Bomet, Kenya was held in the fall of 2009.The rotation was staffed by multiple urologists scheduled in consecutive, back-to-back time slots to cover the entire time of the rotation. These urologists lent their expertise to train the residents in what an African surgeon needs to know about urology. They served as Christian examples to these men and participated in their discipleship from their practices to teach PAACS residents at this location.
2. Work in ongoing hospitals to develop the desired curriculum and assesment tools which we hope to use for our next rotation
3. The task force is contributing to the support of Dr. Chuks Okorie, an African Urologist now serving at Tenwek with PAACS.
4. Through the task force efforts, two full sets of urologic endoscopic video equipment were donated to two PAACS sites by the Karl Storz Company.
5. The task force is maturing as an organization and has developed the following resources:

• A directory of Christian Urologists interested in assisting PAACS;
• A web site/blog for recruitment and coordination of our efforts:  http://paacsurology.blogspot.com
• An annual meeting for planning and reporting purposes;
• A fund for meeting our financial goals.

What's next?

Plans are developing for two rotations in 2010, one back to Tenwek and other to Mbingo hospital in Cameroon. Task Force members may accompany others or go alone to "take over" from another member as they finish up at one of the sites. A trip can be scheduled for as as two weeks or as long as desired. More information is available by contacting the PAACS administrator, Ervin Barham. 

Donations

Your tax deductible gift will go to support African Urologists serving as PAACS sites as well as equipping those sites to instruct general surgery residents. Donations can be sent to the address below, or a donation may be made online by clicking here. Be sure to mark #46080 in the comments section if you give online.

Make checks payable to:

PAACS-CMDA Attn: Urology Task Force PO Box 9906 Fayetteville, NC 28311-9906 Please reference #46080 in the subject line