Africa

Operation Smile has worked in sub-Saharan Africa for decades, delivering care and strengthening community-based health systems.

Our Work in the Region

Operation Smile delivers plastic and reconstructive care for patients, underpinned by educational programs for health care professionals in 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Need

High Disease Burden: Over 30% of African diseases require surgery, underlining the urgent need for improved access to surgical care.
Disproportionate Burden: Sub-Saharan Africa has a higher burden of surgical disease, with 38 disability-adjusted life years lost per 1,000 populations.
Scarce Health Workforce: Africa faces a severe shortage of medical professionals, with only two doctors and 11 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people.

Meet Rwanda’s First Female Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Francoise Mukagaju is Rwanda’s first female plastic surgeon and completed her training through Operation Smile’s partnership with the University of Rwanda. She is committed to remaining in Rwanda to help her people. “It is important for us to stay in our country, to serve our population,” she says. “Because we have seen the need, and it is for us to meet that need.”

Learn more about Dr. Mukagaju

Our Strategy

Holistic Patient Care Beyond Surgery: Operation Smile embraces a holistic care approach, extending support beyond surgery to encompass dental, speech, nutrition and psychological programs for full patient rehabilitation and social inclusion.

Education Programs at the Core: Operation Smile prioritizes education programs as the best way to strengthen local health systems.

Global Collaboration in Surgical Programs: Each surgical program fosters collaboration among providers worldwide, facilitating knowledge exchange and innovation crucial for capacity building.

Addressing Structural Barriers: Our efforts in health policy and advocacy, and health infrastructure and equipment tackle structural obstacles to care, strengthening health systems.

Research and Innovation Driving Decision-Making: Research and innovation efforts help us understand barriers to care, identify the causes of cleft conditions and improve our program design.

Our Partnerships

In Africa, Operation Smile works closely with local medical leaders, health ministries, universities, accrediting institutions, NGOs and international organizations.

Our key partners in Africa include the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and the College of Anesthesiologists of East, Central and Southern Africa (CANECSA). We also collaborate with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Federation Societies of Anesthesia (WFSA). Learn more about our strategic partners.

Together, we are dedicated to training the next generation of health care professionals.