Women & Infants Docs Bring Special Care to Rwandan Women
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Though the delicate and once-devastated country of Rwanda is half a world away, there is a global commonality we share—the desire for access to quality health care. Urogynecologist B. Star Hampton, MD, of Providence is committed to sharing that mission as she and specialists from the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at Women & Infants Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University brought their expertise to women in Africa as part of an annual International Outreach trip. Each year Dr. Hampton travels with a senior fellow, this year Blair B. Washington, MD, of Providence, on a surgical mission to provide care for women who are in need of advanced pelvic floor reconstruction or fistula repair.
A Team Effort
Drs. Hampton and Washington worked in Kigali, a growing city in the heart of Rwanda, where they served for two weeks at Kibagabaga Hospital with a team of American surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses. They collaborated with and trained local physicians, medical students, and nursing staff, teaching them post-surgical care for the women, as well as basic anatomy, surgical preparation, sterility concepts, evaluation, and surgical approaches.
Comfort in Action
“This mission is an annual reminder about how truly lucky we are to have access to some of the finest, most sophisticated health care in the world,” commented Dr. Hampton. “Our team was able to provide basic and advanced care to 73 women in Africa, women whose lives were definitely improved. We worked hard to tackle difficult surgical cases and to create meaningful results for the women of Rwanda.”
Photo: During their stay, Drs. Hampton (right) and Washington (left) were hosted by the United States Ambassador to Rwanda, Stuart Symington (center), a Brown University graduate.
Related Articles
- Alleviating Hot Flashes: Women & Infants Offers Program for Menopausal Women
- Ohio Family Travels to Women & Infants for Fertility Preservation for 2-Year Old Daughter
- Nursing Team at Women and Infants Honored in Modern Healthcare
- Whole Foods Donates $10K to Women & Infants Integrative Care Program
- Teen Volunteers Awarded Scholarships at Women & Infants
- Women & Infants Named Neonatal Center of Excellence
- Women & Infants Announces RI Network for Pelvic Floor Disorders
