Ndola Teaching Hospital has successfully conducted a week-long Arteriovenous (AV) Fistula Camp, marking a major milestone in efforts to improve the care and treatment of patients living with chronic kidney disease.
The camp was held in collaboration with the Surgical Society of Zambia (SSZ), led by its President, Dr. Victor Mapulanga, and the American College of Surgeons’ Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.), under the leadership of Professor Girma Tefera.
The initiative aimed to build local capacity and transfer specialized skills to Zambian surgeons in the creation of AV fistulas lifesaving procedures essential for patients undergoing long-term dialysis.
The camp attracted 36 renal patients from across the country, including Lusaka, Southern Province, North-Western Province, and the Copperbelt.
Speaking when the visiting team paid a courtesy call on the Copperbelt Provincial Administration, Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Mr. Lawrence Mwanza expressed gratitude for the collaboration, describing it as timely in the face of a rising burden of kidney-related conditions.
“With the growing number of patients affected by kidney diseases, this skills transfer initiative, in partnership with the American College of Surgeons and the Surgical Society of Zambia, comes at a crucial time,” Mr. Mwanza said. “As the Provincial Administration, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting efforts that strengthen our healthcare system, especially in extending specialized services to rural and underserved areas.”
Professor Girma Tefera commended the warm reception his team received and emphasized that the main objective of the visit was to equip local surgeons with the expertise to independently perform AV fistula procedures.
“Our goal is to train and empower Ndola Teaching Hospital surgeons so they can sustainably conduct these procedures themselves and, in time, share their knowledge with colleagues around the country,” Professor Tefera said.
Ndola Teaching Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent, Dr. Justor Banda, hailed the camp as a significant milestone for the institution.
“We are excited about this achievement because it not only improves patient outcomes but also ensures skills transfer to our local teams a large number of patients on chronic dialysis in Zambia still depend on permanent catheters, which carry higher infection risks and long-term complications. Previously, less than 30 percent of chronic hemodialysis patients were accessing dialysis through an AV fistula,” Dr. Banda said.
Dr. Banda explained that expanding AV fistula procedures will reduce complications and improve the quality of life for patients living with kidney failure.
The Surgical Society of Zambia reiterated its commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health’s goals to enhance access to safe and quality surgical care nationwide.
The AV Fistula Camp is part of a broader vision to build local surgical capacity and ensure that specialized interventions become more accessible to communities across Zambia.
By; Cornelius Kabwe Ndola
Teaching Hospital Public Relations Department
