HERNIA
Hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures here in Aira, as elsewhere in the world. We don’t often encounter the extremely big “African size” hernias as you see in some other African countries. I personally believe that the occurrence of theses enormous hernias among other populations in our continent is due to genetically factors.
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A part from causing pain and discomfort, a hernia also carries the risk of incarcerating, which can lead to severe morbidity and even mortality. In plain language that means that the hernia can cause strangulation of the intestines, which, if not operated immediately, can cause severe sufferings and even death.
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Homemade hernia bandage |
Most NGOs, religious or not, despise curative medicine (medical treatment that cure), in particular surgery. The fashion dictates them to funnel their money to projects concerning human rights, gender promotion, women’s rights, mother & child health care, and preventive medicine (public health).
The wall between curative and preventive medicine is as artificial and harmful as the wall between East and West Germany was. Preventive and curative medicine has to walk hand in hand. To ignore one of these two, only supporting one, is like amputating one leg, and asking the amputee to walk without a limp. The strange thing is that everybody understand this when it comes to HIV/AIDS, where the focus is on treatment (curative medicine) as well as prevention.
What nobody seems to understand is that a lot of surgical treatments are perfect preventive measures, comparable to vaccinations against polio, tetanus and so forth. To repair a hernia prevents not only morbidity but also mortality – it prevents a lot of sufferings and even death. The lost of a husband and father can cause the whole family to perish. What I am trying to say is that hernia surgery is a perfect example of preventive medicine - and very cheap too.
The surgical procedure is done in spinal anesthesia on daycare basis. The surgical fee is 400 birr, which for many of our patients is a lot of money. In the meantime before being financial ready many come with indigenous ways of keeping the hernia in place with different self made bandages.
The technique used in Aira is the open repair that was routine in the western world before the introduction of nylon net and minimal invasive laparoscopic surgery. Extremely expensive techniques, which do not give better long lasting results.