Putting Knowledge Into Practice
How skills attained in a Chinese medical university were helpful during a kidney transplant procedure in Cameroon
The China-cameroon health cooperation brought about a major medical milestone in May: three kidney transplants were completed successfully at the General Hospital of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.
The preparation began six months before the surgery with a rigorous selection of the donors and recipients. A complete clinical, biological, radiological and immunological assessment had been carried out in all donors and recipients. After the selection of the pairs, the surgical interventions were scheduled.
For me, a urology resident at China’s Gannan Medical University (GMU) on an internship at the Yaounde General Hospital, it is a great honor to have been selected to participate in these high-level surgeries and use the skills I learned in GMU. I am grateful to Dr. Justin, my supervisor in Cameroon, for his trust in me, and GMU for helping me to obtain the internship at the General Hospital of Yaounde.
The very first kidney transplant in Cameroon took place in November 2021, also at the Yaounde General Hospital. It was a highly publicized clinical event, which had put great pressure on the medical and surgical teams and did not allow for any error. Fortunately, more than half a year later, the 43-year-old kidney transplant recipient is in perfect health: he has even gained 5 kg of body weight.
The second batch of kidney transplants, including the three mentioned above in the beginning, mobilized even more medical personnel. We set up two surgical teams of four persons each and a nephrology team of six persons. The organ removal team was led by Dr. Kamga Justin, an urologist who was my supervisor in Cameroon, and assisted by myself, a resident in urology, and two others.
All these surgeries were successful. Some 72 hours after the surgery, the serum creatinines of all the recipients became normal, and those of the donors showed no deterioration. On the fifth day after the surgery, the donors were released after the visit of the Minister of Health who came to congratulate the teams.
The third batch of kidney transplantation in Cameroon is already being prepared and should take place in November 2022. We plan to operate 10 pairs in five days which now seems quite feasible, due to the experience and expertise already acquired.
My studies in China were undoubtedly a determining factor for my selection into this prestigious surgical team to lead these kidney transplants. I was indeed inspired first by my supervisor, Professor Liao Yunfeng, a pragmatic and efficient surgeon who has not ceased, since our first contact, to give me advice on the rules of surgery and even on the rules of life. I have always considered him a big brother.
During my stay in China, I was also inspired by Vice Dean of International Education College of GMU, Zhong
Fuyou, who is dedicated to China-africa health cooperation, and helps the less wealthy young medical talents find university scholarships to study at the
GMU. A tireless model worker, he has strongly inspired me; and once back in Cameroon, I have been able to put all that I have learned from him to good use.
I also greatly admire the Chinese people whom I have carefully observed, who are attached to their culture and very disciplined. China’s development model can be copied without doubt and implemented in other developing countries. My experience in the scholarship program proved that China is dedicated to building a global community of health for all in Africa.