At the beginning of May, I took my first trip to Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
During this visit, I worked alongside the Vascular Surgery, Orthopedics, and Wound Care teams to better understand the current challenges in lower extremity care. A key takeaway was the need for a more coordinated, multidisciplinary approach for patients with wounds and deformities, as formal inpatient and outpatient care pathways are still being developed.
The hospital recently welcomed its only foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon/podiatrist, who completed fellowship training in Egypt just three months ago. While this represents meaningful progress, the overall capacity for specialized lower extremity care remains limited, underscoring the need for continued partnership, education, and infrastructure development. During the visit, I participated in orthopedic surgeries and outpatient clinics while collaborating with vascular, orthopedic, wound care, and endocrinology teams to discuss future partnerships with the UW Podiatry team.
This visit helped lay the foundation for long-term collaboration, education, and capacity building focused on improving limb preservation and patient outcomes. Continued support for housing and ground transportation will help sustain these on-site partnerships and training efforts as the program continues to grow.
Dr. Naren Patel is an assistant professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery. He is a podiatrist and his practice is focused on limb preservation