The training centre is anticipated to help with attempts to boost the number of cardiac surgeons in the area, according to a release. According to estimates, between 80 and 90 percent of Kenyan children who need heart procedures do not get them, in part because there are not enough cardiac surgeons available. Kenya now trains 4 to 5 cardiac surgeons yearly, while the nation needs to train at least 20. Through the recently formed East African Simulation Centre for Cardiovascular Surgery, the hospital has also worked with the University of Nairobi and the German Heart Institute to enhance training for cardiac surgeons. The Center will be located at the hospital, and UoN will supply the trainers who will make better use of the tools provided by the German Heart Institute to teach cardiovascular surgery experts and students. By allowing specialists to use the facilities, the new centre is anticipated to expand to provide training and skill enhancement for cardiac surgeons throughout the whole East African area. Dr Thomas Ngwiri, Gertrude’s Head of Clinical Services: “We expect the number of children who require treatment, including surgery, to grow rapidly as better diagnosis takes root in many of our hospitals which will create more demand for cardiac surgeons. In anticipation of that, we have partnered with the cardiothoracic surgery training program at the University of Nairobi. The trainees in the program will be utilizing the skills lab as part of their hands-on training,” Dr Mark Awori, a senior lecturer in paediatric and congenital cardiovascular surgery at the University of Nairobi and a consultant cardiovascular surgeon at Gertrude’s Hospital, stated “Kenya has a real shortage of heart surgeons. We started a local training programme about 9 years ago and are currently training 4 to 5 surgeons every year, but we need a lot more, approximately 20 per year. The Skills Lab is a way of giving more hands-on training that allows us to train more surgeons faster,”
