AfroPRS: A New Era for Plastic Surgery in Africa
Around 229 million individuals in low- and middle-income countries lack access to plastic and reconstructive surgery. In Africa, the need is further compounded by a lack of specialists. Yet, there is significant interest among Africans like us - Alice, a Rwandan general practitioner, and Shirley, a Ghanaian third-year medical student. We both share a common dream - to improve access to plastic and reconstructive surgery across Africa. However, we realize that our dream might never come to fruition because the workforce deficit is further exacerbated by the low proportion of African specialists who are female, like us.
Credit: Shirley Dadson
Additionally, plastic and reconstructive surgery is often misunderstood and shrouded in myths and misconceptions. This lack of understanding limits the public’s perception and hampers health-seeking behavior, further increasing the disease burden. Young Africans who share our interests have limited resources at their disposal. Medical school curricula rarely include plastic and reconstructive surgery rotations, and few African countries have plastic and reconstructive surgery training programs.
Recognizing this gap, we founded the Association of Future African Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (AfroPRS). Our mission is to address the specialist workforce deficit and to counter the abundance of media misconceptions surrounding the field. AfroPRS brings together young medical professionals who dream of becoming surgeons (i.e., plastic, cosmetic, craniofacial, burns, oncological, and hand), anesthesiologists, therapists (i.e., physical, speech, and occupational), and nurses. Our platform serves as a venue for mentorship and knowledge-sharing, fostering curiosity and growth among its members.
AfroPRS offers education, mentorship, networking, research, and advocacy opportunities to its members. AfroPRS’ research agenda is centered around understanding the need for plastic and reconstructive surgery in Africa and proposing contextually relevant and evidence-based solutions. Considering that only 2% of African literature has been published in peer-reviewed journals, and the majority of the published research has been authored by non-African authors, AfroPRS aims to map out the themes and contributors of African plastic and reconstructive surgery to set a baseline for future interventions. As such, AfroPRS will serve as a hub for young researchers, increasing the quality and quantity of African research. We are open to research collaborations with external partners, striving to elevate the continent’s contributions to medical science, and we are actively seeking grants for research projects.
Shirley Sarah Dadson and Dr. Alice Umutoni are co-founders of AfroPRS
AfroPRS organizes monthly webinars to educate its members and the public on conditions amenable to plastic and reconstructive surgery, career paths in the field, collaboration opportunities, and the discussion of research through journal clubs. Between webinar sessions, we discuss on our dedicated WhatsApp group.
AfroPRS organizes physical and virtual exposure opportunities such as electives, observerships, and fellowships in and outside of Africa. Importantly, our members are deeply involved in grassroots advocacy for primary healthcare prevention, particularly in preventable conditions like burns. We share plain language information on our various social media handles (i.e., LinkedIn @AfroPRS, Twitter:@Afroprs, Instagram:@afroprs).
In today’s digital age, sharing unbiased information on social media platforms is crucial. AfroPRS leverages this opportunity to create educational content for African residents and patients. Our goal is to provide reliable information that helps patients make informed decisions about surgery.
Last but not least, AfroPRS is intentional about supporting greater female representation in African plastic and reconstructive surgery. As such, we organize events recognizing pioneer female plastic and reconstructive surgery specialists from all around the globe. We equally lead research into the barriers and solutions that have helped improve female representation in the field.
Join us at AfroPRS Whatsapp group and be part of a movement that is shaping the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Africa. Your participation has the potential to dispel myths, improve health-seeking behaviors, and ensure that every African has access to the life-changing benefits of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Together, we can create a brighter future for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery patients in Africa.