Outreach

To develop collaborative projects in low resource settings that contribute to enriched patient care in our department and for our partners

The Department of Surgery has a long history of involvement in surgical outreach activities. The GSO is committed to promoting and supporting new and ongoing initiatives. Faculty looking to engage in outreach activities can utilize the GSO resources to help identify existing partnerships or to access limited funding for support of personal initiatives. 

Canada-Rwanda Open Heart Program (CROP)

The Dalhousie University Division of Cardiac Surgery has initiated a collaboration effort called "Canada-Rwanda Open Heart Program (CROP)" with the University of Rwanda and the King Faisal Hospital, Kigali Rwanda. During a site visit November 2019, meetings were held with the Minister of Health of Rwanda, the vice-chancellor of the University of Rwanda, CEO of King Faisal hospital and Dr. Mansoni (the only cardiac surgeon in Rwanda). MOU's have been constructed focusing on an initial annual operative team site visit for a 3-year period, with options for renewal thereafter. The main focus of these visits would be facilitation and training of local Rwanda personnel at the King Faisal Hospital performing cardiac surgeries using cardio-pulmonary bypass. Subsequent medium term goals are to expand the number of cardiac surgeons in Rwanda, and long term for a potential training program through the University of Rwanda.

Due to the COVID pandemic, operative team visits have been delayed until 2022.