A senior surgeon from Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals has returned from a three-week trip to Africa aimed at improving hernia operations.

Consultant general surgeon, Mr Paul Thomas, travelled to Malawi with registrar Ms Caris Grimes where they were stationed at the Thyolo District Hospital in the south of the country.

Their task was to train and educate Malawian colleagues in medical procedures where surgery is often performed by doctors with little medical training.

Mr Thomas said: “In general, the district hospitals in Malawi are extremely under-resourced. “Surgery is routinely performed by individuals with no medical training as we would recognise it in the developed world.

“I was very impressed with their technical skills, but they are not helped by the lack of modern diagnostic equipment.”

Mr Thomas and Ms Grimes paid for travel and accommodation themselves however medical charity, Operation Hernia, have covered the cost of the hernia programme at the hospital and a campaign to raise awareness of the condition.

Mr Thomas added: “Looking to the future, it would be great if consultants in other specialties, especially gynaecology and urology, expertise in which is desperately needed, were also to travel to Malawi.

“It would be fantastic to develop the links and relationships we’ve now established even further.

“It was a life-changing experience.”

For more information visit operationhernia.org.uk