Cape Coast, Nov. 22, GNA - The University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS) is organizing a four-day workshop on “Obstetrics and gynecological emergencies and minimal invasive surgery” in Cape Coast.

The workshop, which opened on Monday, is being attended by about 100 doctors, medical assistants, nurses, midwives, medical students and student nurses from Cape Coast and other regions.

The Dean of the UCCSMS, Dr. Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, said the increasing rate of maternal deaths in the country was what informed the School’s decision to organize the workshop which seeks to introduce and promote state of the art technology into obstetrics and gynecology to reduce maternal mortality.

He said unlike the big incisions people are used to during surgery, the new technology which is already being used in some hospitals in the country only creates a small incision of about one or two centimeters in the abdomen.

The surgery is carried out by the surgeon watching the interior of the patient via video on a TV monitor.

He said the process of conducting this new surgery, which is known as Laparoscopic surgery, reduces infection and complications as well as heal wounds faster and saves time.

Dr. Amonoo-Kuofi said he believed the technology was within the grasp of Ghanaians and that was why the UCCSMS had brought some representatives of Karl Storz GMBH & Company, manufacturers of the Laparoscopic Instrument from Germany, to share their expertise with the participants.

He said some participants would be trained on how to use the Machine and expressed the hopef that the UCCSMS would buy some of the equipment to enable the students to be well versed in its usage before going out on the field for practice.

Mr. Johnny Kassab, Marketing Manager of Karl Storz Company, took participants through the functions of the Laparoscopic Instrument as well as the various and recommended instruments for performing Laparoscopic surgeries.

Dr. Sallah Moghraby, a Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology from Saudi Arabia, also took participants through the historical review of Laparoscopy surgery.

A participant suggested that since the laparoscopic surgery was expensive and the average Ghanaian could not afford it, it should be incorporated into the National Health Insurance Scheme in order to cater for the larger portion of the citizenry.