Burkina Faso: A surgical first saves the lung of a patient with a tumor

In the operating room of the Tengandogo University Hospital, a patient with a lung tumor entrusts herself to the hands of the surgeons. Upon entering the operating room, she harbors only one hope: to regain a normal life after this procedure.

For this type of operation, the scenario seemed almost predetermined: remove the entire diseased lung. A major procedure with irreversible consequences. But this time, the doctors decided to take on a different challenge: to save what could be saved.

Rather than condemning the patient to live with only one lung, they managed to remove only the diseased part of the lung while reconstructing the airways to preserve the rest of the organ. In medical jargon, this highly technical procedure is called a "bronchial sleeve lobectomy".

Beyond medical performance, a broader message is being sent: that of a healthcare system gaining expertise and confidence. It also aligns with the Burkinabe authorities' drive for health sovereignty.

In the spirit of the Popular Progressive Revolution, the ambition is to build a state capable of relying on its own skills, valuing its human capital and strengthening its institutions, including in the field of health.

Cheick Omar Ouedraogo