Mama Lucy Hospital trains 150 health workers in keyhole surgery

More than 150 doctors, nurses, biomedical engineers and surgical residents have completed an intensive two-day surgical skills workshop at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.

The workshop is a major boost to Nairobi County's efforts to expand access to specialised and minimally invasive surgical services in public health facilities.

The Comprehensive Surgical Skills Workshop, held from 19 to 20 June under the Nairobi City County Government, focused on advanced laparoscopy, therapeutic endoscopy and WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet) techniques. Participants received hands-on training designed to enhance surgical precision, improve patient outcomes and reduce recovery times.

Speaking during the training, surgeon Dr Francis Kaara said the programme was aimed at addressing a critical gap in public healthcare by equipping frontline medical personnel with modern surgical skills.

"We are happy that we are achieving the agenda," said Dr Kaara. "We want our patients to benefit from quality care with shorter hospital stays. We want them to have faster recovery with smaller scars after surgery."

Minimally invasive procedures, commonly known as keyhole surgeries, are increasingly becoming the global standard for many surgical interventions because they involve smaller incisions, less pain, a reduced risk of infection and shorter hospital stays. The techniques also allow patients to return to their normal activities much faster, easing pressure on hospital beds and lowering overall healthcare costs.

County officials said the training will help expand the availability of advanced surgical procedures across Nairobi's public hospitals, reducing the need for patients to seek specialised treatment in private facilities and strengthening the county's capacity to handle complex cases.

Chief Officer for Health Facilities David Sande Oyolo said both the county and national governments, under the leadership of Governor Johnson Sakaja and President William Ruto, are committed to improving healthcare services and increasing access to modern medical technology.

He revealed that President Ruto is expected to commission an additional facility at Mama Lucy Hospital, a move that will further enhance the institution's capacity to offer specialised treatment and training.

Mama Lucy Hospital Board Chairman Dr Elias Meli challenged the hospital leadership to continue investing in professional development and innovation.

"I urge the management to create more training opportunities within the facility," he said. "We must continue investing resources to ensure we have the finest healthcare workers delivering services to our people."

The workshop concluded with the awarding of certificates to all participants, marking another milestone in Nairobi County's drive to strengthen public healthcare through continuous medical education, innovation and specialised service delivery.