10 Kids Operating Room scholars graduate!

Introducing the next generation of paediatric surgeons in Africa

We are incredibly proud to announce the graduation of ten Kids Operating Room scholars, who have now passed their final exams become fully qualified paediatric surgeons.

These surgeons represent seven countries across East, Central and Southern Africa and have trained at some of the region’s leading teaching hospitals. From this point on, they will spend their careers delivering life-saving and life-changing surgery to children who need it most.This milestone marks not just the end of years of intense training, but the beginning of decades of impact.

A cohort shaping the future of children’s surgery

The newly qualified surgeons and their training hospitals are:

• Justine Lukama: University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia
• Nanteza Sumayiya: Mulago Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
• Elizabeth Komurembe: Mulago Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
• Lubna Tarmahomed: The Mercy James Centre for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, Blantyre, Malawi
• Sella Precious Mpata: Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
• Betty Arkangalo Yuggu Phillimona: Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, South Sudan
• James Bidali Sebit Nzira: Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, South Sudan
• Mohammed Salim: Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Axelle-Aimée Nduwimana: King Faisal Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
• Hangi Mbida Bienvenu: Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Democratic Republic of Congo

Together, this group brings new specialist surgical capacity to health systems that urgently need it - helping to close the gap in access to safe surgery for children.

Why this matters

Across much of Africa, there are simply not enough trained paediatric surgeons to meet demand. For many children, treatable conditions can become life-threatening without timely surgical care.By supporting long-term surgical training, Kids Operating Room is helping to build sustainable, locally led healthcare systems - ensuring that children can access safe surgery not just today, but for generations to come.Each of these graduates represents thousands of children who will now receive the care they deserve.

With gratitude and pride

This achievement is the result of years of commitment, resilience and extraordinary hard work from the surgeons themselves, alongside the dedication of their trainers, mentors and hospitals.We could not be prouder - and we cannot wait to see the impact they will make.