Surgery in an African bush hospital

A 10-year review of procedures undertaken in the operating theatres of a rural mission hospital in West Africa showed a total of 13819 procedures. Of these, one-third were general surgical, one-third were minor procedures, and one-third were obstetric, gynaecological or orthopaedic. This review is a record of the surgical procedures undertaken in a "typical" rural hospital in the Third World. It also indicates that a doctor contemplating a period of overseas service in such a hospital should have basic training in general surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology and trauma.