Project Description

Background

One of the most prevalent medical conditions requiring surgical care in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) is orthopaedic trauma and musculoskeletal disease. In 2020 we began expanding our work in Global Surgery and Public Health through broadening our network in the US and Africa. Our objectives in this work are to: connect orthopaedic trauma and musculoskeletal disease surgeons in resource-limited areas of the world to affordable, high-quality and innovative orthopaedic surgical equipment, practices and care; provide high-level educational resources; contribute to surgical capacity building in limited resource areas; and, move toward social equity in Global Surgery.

The Darwin Project provides financial and technological support for the design and development of affordable innovative surgical equipment; for promoting existing affordable high quality equipment; and for medical education and training in orthopaedic surgery and patient care to develop in-country capacity. Our initial geographic focus is the African continent.

We believe that everyone around the globe is entitled to high quality, effective and safe surgery, with equipment and care delivered at an affordable cost. We can help save lives One Person at a time – One Community at a time. Join us

Collaborations

Of primary importance to DPI’s work is collaborations we have established with local and African surgical professionals. DPI is fortunate to have the continued guidance of Jack Wixted, MD, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Assistant professor Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School.

We also have a working relationship with the Harvard Global Orthopaedics Collaborative (HGOC), Boston, founded and directed by Dr. Kiran Jay Agarwal-Harding, MD, MPH, Orthopaedic Surgeon. https://ortho.hms.harvard.edu/harvard-global-orthopaedics-collaborative. HGOC is a group of Harvard Medical School orthopaedic surgery faculty and Residents, who engage in clinical research, surgical education, surgical care delivery, and health systems development with their global partners in Cameroon, Colombia, Haiti, India, Malawi, and South Africa.

DPI also provides direct support to individual hospitals, such as Mutengene Baptist Hospital in Cameroon and Central Hospital, Malawi. We are outfitting their surgical suites with needed equipment, and have connected the hospital staff with HGOC practitioners to share surgical techniques and training.

The Darwin Project has reached out and “adopted” two individual hospitals in Africa – Mutengene Baptist Hospital in Cameroon through Dr. Henri Ndasi, and Central Hospital in Malawi through Dr. Leonard Banza. We are funding the outfitting of their surgical suites with needed medical equipment, and have connected the hospital staff with HGOC practitioners to share surgical techniques, joint studies and training.

With the support of DPI, Dr. Ndasi has been able to greatly expand his surgical capacity. Mutengene Baptist Hospital also has volunteered to work with us in developing and testing both a mechanically simplified ventilator system, a negative pressure wound treatment/drainage device, and an improved surgical drill system. See also Affordable Surgical Equipment.