There is a critical need for specialized surgical care in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where limited access often leads to delayed diagnoses and advanced disease. This medical mission will provide direct patient care while building local capacity for sustainable management. A multidisciplinary team of head and neck surgeons, general surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia specialists will evaluate patients, perform surgical interventions, and provide postoperative care, counseling, and functional rehabilitation. As one of the head and neck surgeons, my role is to provide life-saving head and neck surgeries (with particular focus on thyroid and parotid surgery) for those in need. The mission will also train local healthcare providers in the evaluation, surgical management, and long-term follow-up of head and neck tumors, and conduct community outreach to raise awareness of early detection and treatment. Together, the team aims to treat at least 90 patients and improve public knowledge about these disorders. By combining direct care with education, this project will save lives, enhance quality of care, and provide lasting access to life-saving surgeries for the people of Dar es Salaam.
As a whole, our team aims to provide surgical care to at least 90 patients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As a head and neck surgeon, my focus will be on patients who have thyroid disorders and goiters, parotid masses, and other head and neck tumors. Locally, those in the region often view head and neck tumors as a result of a curse or witchcraft, resulting in ostracization from society.
My goal on this mission will be to provide life-saving head and neck surgery to those in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while strengthening local capacity for ongoing care. Local healthcare providers will gain hands-on experience in evaluation, surgical management, and postoperative follow-up, enabling them to independently manage future cases. In addition to improving patients' lives, one of the most rewarding aspects of surgical missions is to collaborate with the local surgeons with mutual education. Beyond the mission, training and mentorship will create a sustainable framework for head and neck tumor care, supporting continued professional development and improved patient outcomes. As a surgeon currently working in a diverse community such as New York City, I will be reminded of the cultural, social, and economic factors that influence patient outcomes. Experiencing surgical care abroad provides new context for how patients from different cultural backgrounds view their disease burden.
Our trip to Tanzania impacted patients and families who had limited access to surgical care. We were grateful to help people who had been living with conditions that affected their daily lives. As a head and neck surgeon, I personally saw patients impacted by large goiters and other masses in the face which carried discomfort and even social stigma preventing patients from living their normal lives. Seeing the relief and hope that surgery brought to these patients was incredibly meaningful. I was able to see the patients postoperatively the next day and see the smiles on each patient I operated on. At the end of the week, one of my patients brought their family to see me as well and seeing their smiles will be a memory I cherish for the rest of my life. This experience reminded us how much a small act of service can change someone’s life.
