title: Surgical safaris with the East Africa Flying Doctor Service.
abstract: A few hundred small mission and government hospitals serve the 20 million people who live in rural East Africa. The physician-patient ratio is 1:25,000. Surgical support to many of these hospitals is provided through the East Africa Flying Doctor Service of the African Medical and Research Foundation. Small aircraft that are coordinated by a wide radio network bring surgical capability to a maximum number of patients in this area of 1,300,000 sq km (500,00 sq miles). The clinical problems, differential diagnoses, operative decisions, risk, and complications of surgical care all have a distinctly African quality. The working conditions and variety and magnitude of problems provide a stimulating challenge. Surgical safaris are a catalyst for gaining acceptance of modern scientific methods by Africa's tradition-oriented tribesmen.
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012423:Rural Health; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013636:Tanzania