Global Scalpels | Episode 16: Dr Mamy Lalatiana Andriamanarivo

Delivering care in rural areas is one of the hardest challenges of global surgery. Access to necessary medications is difficult and limited, but access to surgery is even harder, forcing many to travel hours on muddy roads through public transport to seek care. Even still, these are the lucky ones. Many never even make it out. Today about 15% of people live in rural areas around the world. In Madagascar however, over 60% of the population lives in a rural area, thus creating unique challenges in access to surgery.

As the minister of health for Madagascar, our guest today built dozens of new district hospitals, redirected funds, and even utilized helicopters to expand their reach. A physician himself, he understands the rural barriers and was able to advocate for change in health systems from within government. Join us as we learn more about Madagascar, the effect of COVID-19 in Madagascar, and the importance of clinicians in non-clinical settings and the impact they can make.

Dr Mamy Lalatiana Andriamanarivo: Minister of Health for Madagascar, Operation Smile, and Vice president of the Malagasy Association of Surgery

Madagascar

“COVID-19 in Madagascar, Physicians in Government, Public and Rural Health”

As well as being a paediatric and reconstructive Surgeon, Professor Mamy Lalatiana Andriamanarivo has held esteemed positions across numerous fields including academia, surgical societies, and politics as Minister for Public Health. He has also volunteered extensively with Operation Smile and has a passion for making a difference inside and outside the operating room.

He is the head of the paediatric surgery department, CHU-JRA since 2003, a Professor of Higher Education and Research at the Medical School of Antananarivo in paediatric surgery, the past dean of Antananarivo Medical School and Director of the ‘Doctoral School in Life Science and Health’ at the University of Antananarivo. He’s been a certified cleft surgeon with Operation Smile since 2011 and was the past Minister of Public Health of Madagascar. He completed his advanced surgical training at the University of Paris.

Notably, he was the surgical team leader of the first separation of siamese babies in Madagascar and France. Professor Andriamanarivo is a member of the ‘European Association of Paediatric Surgery’, ‘The French Society of Paediatric Surgery’, and ‘Vice president of the Malagasy Association of Surgery’.