PROFESSOR CHITNIS TAKES ON GLOBAL ROLE IN PAEDIATRIC SURGERY

Advocating for children’s rights to safe surgery in low-medium income countries (LMIC) is the top agenda for - the Department of Paediatric Surgery head, Professor Milind Chitnis, who was recently appointed as the Secretary of the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery (GICS).

The GICS is a global consortium of providers and allies from various countries and specialties, dedicated to all aspects of children's surgical care, including neurosurgery, plastic surgery, orthopaedics, anaesthesia, and more.

Reflecting on this prestigious appointment, Chitnis expressed humility and a renewed commitment to his work, highlighting: "I felt humbled to receive such an honour from my peers at the international level. After the initial excitement, I resolved to work tirelessly to do justice to this responsibility bestowed upon me.”

“For our previously disadvantaged university in the poorest of the nine provinces, with a gross scarcity of resources, it is a matter of pride for us to get such honour. This means we are no less than anyone else- nationally or internationally. We need to dream big and work hard to turn our dreams to reality.”

The professor has been instrumental in leading the WSU postgraduate paediatric surgical training and research program, training WSU registrars since 1999.

“I became an accredited postgraduate teacher after passing the Certificate in Paediatric Surgery examination (conducted by the CMSA) and acquiring my registration as a Specialist Paediatric Surgeon in May 2005.”

The professor also serves as a member of the Pan African Surgical Association (PAPSA), a global initiative that seeks to promote the practice, education, research, and advancement of Paediatric Surgery in African countries, amongst other objectives.

By Ongezwa Sigodi