I am a neurosurgeon since November 2014 at the University Hospital Yalgado Ouédraogo and the head of neurosurgery department at the Military Clinic General Aboubacar Sangoule Lamizana (Burkina Faso: West Africa). Currently, I am deployed in a United Nation peacekeeping Mission in Mali (West Africa) and my mission will take end in few days.
I wish to contribute in the development of neurosurgery in my country Burkina Faso and the African continent. We are only five neurosurgeons in our country for a population of 17 millions, and I am the only one in our army.
In my childhood, when I was 8 years, I was involved in a terrible road traffic accident resulting in a serious brain trauma and coma for several hours. There was no neurosurgeon in the country and fortunately I recovered without sequelae after thirty-hospital days. It was at this moment that I wanted to study medicine. Since then, I devoted my time and my life to be among the best students.
This made me succeed in the examination for the most coveted and prestigious high school of my country, the military school. We were eighty students, which have been selected from ten thousand applicants in 1992. I submitted to the discipline and the rigor of military life in conjunction with academic challenges to be among the better students. This hard work was rewarded by my selection for a medical school scholarship in Morocco in 2000.
Thanks to neuro-anatomical courses I developed an interest and a strong passion for neurosurgery. The brain appeared as a very fascinating and complex organ. In 2007, I succeeded to the very selective internship examination of the University of Rabat, Morocco. This demanded 2 years of training in the emergency and intensive care unit. Then, in 2009, I began a five years as a resident in neurosurgery in the "WFNS Rabat reference center for the training of young African Neurosurgeons" directed by Professor Khamlichi. In addition, I was selected for one year training in France at the University Hospital of Angers to get the specialized medical training in neurosurgery from 2012 to 2013. During my practice as neurosurgeon in Burkina Faso (2015 to 2016), I strived to provide excellent neurosurgery. My daily neurosurgical procedures include brain trauma, brain tumor, pituitary gland with surgical microscope or endoscopy), ventriculo-cisternostomy for hydrocephalus, spine and spinal cord surgery for trauma, disc herniation and tumor. Median and ulnar nerve decompression is the major part of my surgery for peripheral nerves. My next challenge is to develop vascular surgery, because this kind of surgery is not yet practiced in my country.
I performed at least 107 (one hundred and seven) neurosurgical procedures from 2015 to 2016 and at least 100 consultations per months. Eighty percent of these patients are civilians. Neurosurgical pathology is a major health issue in my country. The training that I received from the program of the “Rabat reference center” is a tremendous help for our population. Therefore, your donation will dramatically boost the practice of neurosurgery in my country and contribute to a well being of our population. I promise to send my surgical outcomes to the WFNS to attest how much these vital equipment will positively change my daily practice and my patients’ lives. No words can fully express the depth of my gratitude to all your kindness and goodwill toward this donation that makes my dreams come true.