Ear, nose and throat (ent) specialists are calling for innovations and integration of available evidence based practices on the continent to improve treatment of diseases in the head and neck region.

The experts, from 22 countries, were yesterday speaking during the opening session of a three-day All Africa ENT and Audiology, Aaenta Congress in Kigali.

Themed ‘Enhancing best practice in resource limited settings’, the meeting noted that countries from the continent could utilise the opportunity of working together for better health care.

Dr Chelly Chadha, a hearing health care officer at the World Health Organisation said collaborative and innovative approaches would help countries treat ENT diseases better.

"What we need are slow and steady approaches to win the race. The innovation gets you to the finish line and if we are to get there together, we need to work collaboratively,” said Dr Chadha.

Dr Jean Baptiste Mazarati, the deputy director general at the Rwanda Biomedical Center, said African countries need to put behind their history of conflict and focus on providing solutions for improved health care.

"I see amidst, the mind, the heart, the science of medicine and the hand to help Africa answer its questions. I see solutions and no more question marks. This scientific conference should help us improve dissemination of knowledge and also share academic experiences all over the globe,” said Dr Mazarati.

Mazarati, who expressed optimism in the government’s approaches towards improving primary health care, pointed out that such high-level meetings are encouraging collaborations in capacity building

"The government’s focus on transforming Rwanda into a regional hub for high-level gatherings such as these scientific meetings is a great contribution. We have prepared in many ways to improve health care access and now tuned to improving capacity and training people to provide care at the district level. We still welcome collaborations,” said Dr Mazarati.

Dr Rajab Mugabo, a consultant and head of the ENT department at King Faisal Hospital, Kigali, said that diseases of the head and neck region are becoming common among the population with some caused by individuals predisposing themselves to risk factors.

"If you look at ears alone, there are many diseases that affect them. The same applies to the throat and nose. We see some patients with these diseases and sometimes practices like smoking, alcoholism, and infections result into cancer in this region,” said Dr Mugabo.

Meanwhile, Dr Paul Onakoya, the head of department of ORL-HNS, College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, said many problems in treatment are associated with poverty levels on the continent.

"Many problems encountered in managing these problems result from poverty. Paying for treatment is costly and many people feel that the cost of health care is very high. The experience they have is that once you make diagnosis the next thing is to go out and search for funds. By the time they come back, the disease is in advanced stage,” said Dr Onakoya.

Addressing the challenges

From 2013 to 2015, 138 cases of cancer in the head and neck region were diagnosed in Rwanda. These included those in the voice box, cancer of the nose, in the sinuses, thyroid cancers.

However, Dr Mugabo added that the number of doctors and those training in the field is steadly growing in the country.

"Before 2008, there were three doctors treating ENT diseases but now doctors are increasing. We started teaching people in the country and now we have 11 doctors. Even students from the schools will soon join this workforce,” he added.

The first Aaenta conference was held in Zimbabwe in 2012 and it takes place every four years.

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