Organizers of an international neurosurgery conference held in South Africa are concerned that there is only one neurosurgeon for every 1.2 million people in the continent.
"There are 700 million people on our continent with 565 neurosurgeons, that is one surgeon per 1.2 million people," said retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu who opened the conference.
Brain Tumor
Brain tumors are the abnormal growth of brain cells that may be benign or metastatic. Brain tumors account for about 2.4% of all the tumor diagnosesandare most challenging due to their critically delicate location.
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In Africa poor diet and peri-natal care means higher incidences of treatable conditions - such as water on the brain, spina bifida and tuberculous meningitis - than anywhere in the first world.
"Something basic like the treatment and management of hydrocephalus (water on the brain) is very different in Africa because of the cost of the treatment and the expertise needed," said William Harkness of Britain, who is on the board of the International Society for Paediatric Neurosurgery.
![Meningitis]( "Meningitis")
Meninges are the three layers of membrane that cover the brain and infection of the cerebrospinal fluid between them causes meningitis the disease of the meninges.
Abat Sahlu, a resident neurosurgeon in Ethiopia, told AFP there were only four neurosurgeons serving 80 million people in his country.
"In one hospital we have 400 paediatric patients waiting for surgery. They wait up to four years," he said, adding many would die awaiting treatment.
Zambia has two neurosurgeons for 11 million people. The Ivory Coast has 10 specialists serving 20 million residents and people from countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone who have none.
Tony Figaji of the Red Cross children's hospital in Cape Town - the only specialised unit in sub-Saharan Africa - said brain tumours were the second most common malignancy in children after leukemia.
"For a child who has a brain tumour the primary thing making a difference to whether they will survive is to have an operation," he said.
Head injuries were the leading cause worldwide of death in children over four, and in South Africa there was up to a seven times greater chance of a child dying from a head trauma, Figaji said.
The conference, held for the first time in sub-Saharan Africa, includes training for neurosurgeons around the continent.
Source: AFP
RAS/SK
Meningitis
Meninges are the three layers of membrane that cover the brain and infection of the cerebrospinal fluid between them causes meningitis the disease of the meninges.
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Abat Sahlu, a resident neurosurgeon in Ethiopia, told AFP there were only four neurosurgeons serving 80 million people in his country.
"In one hospital we have 400 paediatric patients waiting for surgery. They wait up to four years," he said, adding many would die awaiting treatment.
Zambia has two neurosurgeons for 11 million people. The Ivory Coast has 10 specialists serving 20 million residents and people from countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone who have none.
Tony Figaji of the Red Cross children's hospital in Cape Town - the only specialised unit in sub-Saharan Africa - said brain tumours were the second most common malignancy in children after leukemia.
"For a child who has a brain tumour the primary thing making a difference to whether they will survive is to have an operation," he said.
Head injuries were the leading cause worldwide of death in children over four, and in South Africa there was up to a seven times greater chance of a child dying from a head trauma, Figaji said.
The conference, held for the first time in sub-Saharan Africa, includes training for neurosurgeons around the continent.
Source: AFP
RAS/SK
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Alzheimer''s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting memory and thinking and making the person increasingly dependent on others.
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 Parkinsons DiseaseParkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive dopamine brain cells loss. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease are correctable to an extent. | Advertisement
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