Global Scalpels | Episode 2: Gerald Mwapasa

“Sent.” “Delivered.” 65 billion messages are sent on WhatsApp every day. That is 29 million messages every minute. Perhaps one of the most used social media platforms around the world, Gerald Mwapasa and his team at SURGAfrica are using WhatsApp to create a network of surgical advice across Southern Malawi. They are using the app to connect non-physician Clinical Officers in remote areas with surgeons around the region. Malawi currently only has approximately 10 orthopedic surgeons in the whole nation. Using non-physician Clinical Officers significantly increases the country’s ability to provide care. SURGAfrica helps to create a robust network to increase quality of care as well as to create an educational resource for providers (surgeons and otherwise) to refer in future cases. You don’t need to be a clinician to be involved in global surgery or make a difference. This fight needs a whole army with diverse backgrounds. Explore the world of tech, security, and networks on this exciting episode!

Mr Gerald Mwapasa: SURGAfrica Country Researcher and Coordinator for Scaling up Surgery for Rural Populations in Africa

MALAWI

“UTILIZING WHATSAPP TO CREATE REAL-TIME SURGICAL NETWORKS WITH SURGAFRICA”

This episode is connecting with us with Mr. Gerald Mwapsasa from Malawi, and we’re very excited to have him. As the country coordinator for the Scaling up Surgery for Rural Populations in Africa, or SURGAfrica project, he is working to leverage technology to improve access to surgery for people living in remote parts of the country. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Malawi and a Masters’s degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has nearly two decades worth of experience in research coordination and clinical trial monitoring. Without giving anything more away, we are excited to introduce Mr. Gerald Mwapasa. We’re honored to have him here with us.