The Mother and Child’s Hospital in collaboration with Children of Africa Foundation and La Chaîne de l’Espoir is organizing a mission from 9 to 17 March 2019 for esophagus surgery. The objective of this mission, which takes place at the Mother and Child’s Hospital in Bingerville, is to operate thirteen children suffering from this disease due to caustic product or soda. Surgeries are conducted by a team of doctors from the Bingerville Mother and Child’s Hospital, la Chaîne de l’Espoir and from other African countries.
Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, President of Children of Africa Foundation, paid a visit to children who had surgery or those waiting for surgery on Thursday, March 14, 2019, to see the success of this humanitarian mission.
During this visit, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara had by her side, Mr. Eric Cheyson, President of La Chaîne de l’Espoir, Professor Yann Revillon, Mr. Frederic du Sart, Director General of the Bingerville Children’s and the Pr Sylvia da Silva-Anoma.
Upon her arrival, the President of Children Of Africa was able to follow live a surgery commented by Professor Yann Revillon, member of La Chaîne de l’Espoir. The doctor explained that caustic stenosis is a real public health issue in Africa. According to him, this disease is caused by consumption of caustic soda. He also explained that caustic soda is a products widely used in Africa for clothing dyeing, artisanal soap making, and hairdressing. These are home-based activities which mainly concern households with very modest incomes. The form in which soda occurs is often confused with food products by young children who ingest it by accident. The ingestion of caustic soda causes corrosive, irreversible and extremely painful lesions which prevent children from feeding naturally and which forces them to place a gastric tube. For children who are victims of this disease, there are two solutions. Also for severe cases, he explained that surgeons either perform endoscopic or surgical treatment. Finally, he warned about the dangers of this disease. Professor Yann Revillon encouraged prevention and public awareness to curb this problem.