Quantifying capacity of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in Zimbabwe

Katerina J Green; Daniel G Eyassu; Amiti Jain; Priya Arya; Estephania Candelo; Dontre' M Douse; Naboth N Matinhira; Clemence Chidziva; Joshua P Wiedermann

doi:10.1002/lio2.70062

Quantifying capacity of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in Zimbabwe

Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2025 Jan 7;10(1):e70062. doi: 10.1002/lio2.70062. eCollection 2025 Feb.

Authors

Katerina J Green¹, Daniel G Eyassu², Amiti Jain³, Priya Arya⁴, Estephania Candelo^{1

5}, Dontre' M Douse², Naboth N Matinhira⁶, Clemence Chidziva⁷, Joshua P Wiedermann²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Mayo Clinic Florida Jacksonville Florida USA.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA.
⁴ Department of Surgery Mercer University School of Medicine Savannah Georgia USA.
⁵ Centro de Investigaciones Clínicas, Fundación Valle del Lili Cali Colombia.
⁶ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery University of Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwe.
⁷ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harare Eye, Ear, Nose Throat Institute Harare Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the otolaryngology surgical capacity in Harare, Zimbabwe by analyzing procedural volumes across four hospitals, one private and three public, from 2019 to 2022.

Methods: A retrospective review of hand-written surgical case logs was conducted at Harare Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Institute (HEENT), Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH), Sally Mugabe Children's Hospital (SMCH), and Sally Mugabe Adult's Hospital (SMAH). Patient age and surgical intervention for all otolaryngology surgeries performed in the operating room from 2019 to 2022 were recorded. Procedures were categorized into six groups: head and neck malignancy, laryngeal surgery, oropharyngeal surgery, otologic surgery, rhinology/sinus surgery, and other. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to identify trends in surgical volume and types of procedures across hospitals.

Results: A total of 2626 procedures were recorded: 1470 at HEENT, 377 at PGH, 625 at SMCH, and 154 at SMAH. Of these, 39.5% were performed on pediatric patients and 60.5% on adult patients. The most common procedures were adenotonsillectomy/adenoidectomy/tonsillectomy (38.9%), diagnostic endoscopies (10.4%), and endoscopic sinus surgery (8.3%). HEENT performed the highest volume and widest range of procedures. HEENT had higher surgical volumes across all groups of procedure, except for laryngeal surgery.

Conclusion: This study found disparities in otolaryngology surgical capacity between a private hospital, HEENT, and three public tertiary hospitals-SMCH, SMAH, and PGH, the largest hospital in the country-in Harare, Zimbabwe. Additionally, it highlights areas for targeted interventions in capacity building. This study establishes a foundation for understanding otolaryngologic surgical capacity in the country, supporting international collaboration, guiding future research, and serving as a model for similar assessments in other LMICs.

Level of evidence: Level VI.

Keywords: Zimbabwe; capacity building; global surgery; otolaryngology; surgical capacity.