https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240902/how-south-africa-is-pioneering-advances-in-modern-medicine-1068075689.html
How South Africa is Pioneering Advances in Modern Medicine
How South Africa is Pioneering Advances in Modern Medicine
Sputnik Africa
South Africa, a country with a history of advancing medical research and innovation, is taking exemplary steps to find solutions to health problems from cleft... 02.09.2024, Sputnik Africa
2024-09-02T20:41+0200
2024-09-02T20:41+0200
2024-09-03T16:14+0200
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How South Africa is Pioneering Advances in Modern Medicine
Sputnik Africa
South Africa, a country with a history in advancing medical research and innovation is taking exemplary steps to find solutions to health problems from cleft lip and palate to tuberculosis, restoring hope to patients. African Currents hosts a plastic surgeon and a researcher to discuss the significance of these milestones.
Operation Smile and Smile Foundation, a medical outreach, has been providing transformative surgery for adults and children with cleft lip and palate in South Africa and other parts of the world. Their mission involves partnering with local governments and other organizations, responding to the growing need for cleft care, offering training to local medical practitioners, and educating the public about such a health condition, Professor Anil Madaree, Head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, tells Sputnik Africa.Furthermore, in the spotlight is South Africa's advancement in tuberculosis treatment using the novel CRISPR gene-editing technology to modify the BCG vaccine. The new research could make it more effective in reducing the incidence of tuberculosis transmission and increasing treatment outcomes in the country and the sub-Saharan African region, Dr. Bavesh Kana, Head of the Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, University of the Witwatersrand, says.To find out what else our guests had to say, tune in to the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents.
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How South Africa is Pioneering Advances in Modern Medicine
20:41 02.09.2024 (Updated: 16:14 03.09.2024) South Africa, a country with a history of advancing medical research and innovation, is taking exemplary steps to find solutions to health problems from cleft lip and palate to tuberculosis, restoring hope to patients. African Currents hosts a plastic surgeon and a researcher to discuss the significance of these milestones.
Operation Smile and Smile Foundation, a medical outreach, has been providing transformative surgery for adults and children with cleft lip and palate in South Africa and other parts of the world. Their mission involves partnering with local governments and other organizations, responding to the growing need for cleft care, offering training to local medical practitioners, and educating the public about such a health condition, Professor Anil Madaree, Head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, tells Sputnik Africa.
"So, the modus operandi is if you go into a country which has got no cleft services, the first thing you want to do is to do the building, work with the health ministry and the local people to make sure that you are a welcome guest there, trying to improve the conditions. So that's the first part [...]. The next part is to try and see how you can treat those patients. Create missions so that you can actually sort of make a small dent in the numbers of patients that are waiting. But more importantly, try and educate the local people, all the healthcare workers, the surgeons, anesthesiologists, the nurses to try and see if the local people can do the clefts because missions cannot solve the problems. And that makes an impact, a long lasting impact," Madaree explains.
Furthermore, in the spotlight is South Africa's advancement in tuberculosis treatment using the novel CRISPR gene-editing technology to modify the BCG vaccine. The new research could make it more effective in reducing the incidence of tuberculosis transmission and increasing treatment outcomes in the country and the sub-Saharan African region, Dr. Bavesh Kana, Head of the Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, University of the Witwatersrand, says.
"The first thing you're going to have is a reduction in TB transmission, right? I mean, our communities are just decimated by this disease. It's an aerogenic disease. It gets transmitted by individuals who are living in close contact in areas of congregate settings, like schools and churches. [...] And so the introduction of a vaccine that protects people is really going to close the gap," Kana says.
To find out what else our guests had to say, tune in to the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents. 
