The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) – Adult Hospital, in partnership with the Netherlands based Eardrop Foundation, has successfully conducted 10 life changing ear surgeries during a five day surgical training camp held from 3rd to 7th November 2025.
Six specialist trainees took part, gaining hands on experience in both temporal bone courses and live ear surgeries under expert Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons from the Eardrop Foundation.
The collaborative program is part of UTH’s initiative to build local capacity in specialized surgical care, as well as the Eardrop Foundation’s regional effort to enhance ear surgery skills across Southern Africa. The program aims to develop the expertise of specialist trainees and resident doctors through intensive, hands on training, while reducing waiting times for patients requiring ear surgery.
Head of the ENT Unit at UTH Adult Hospital, Dr. Alex Malambo, described the camp as a significant milestone in the hospital’s training and service delivery efforts:
“We have had a few ENT specialists for a long time now. We have now started to train ENT specialists, and this camp is among many other activities that we have scheduled annually in our training curriculum. Our vision is to have adequate ENT specialists in the future and narrow down the patient-to-specialist ratio,” he said.
Dr. Stephanie Winters, ENT Surgeon and Otologist with the Eardrop Foundation, highlighted the importance of skills transfer:
“Our goal is to empower local doctors with practical surgical skills. We work alongside them every day, guiding them through each step of ear surgery to ensure lasting skills transfer.”
Dr. Shonga, ENT Surgeon at UTH Adult Hospital, also commended the initiative for its benefits to both patients and staff:
“These 10 successful surgeries have changed lives. Patients who had been on the waiting list for some time finally received the care they needed, while our local doctors gained invaluable experience.”
This marks the first time Zambia has hosted the Eardrop Foundation’s ear surgery training camp this year, highlighting UTH Adult Hospital’s growing leadership in specialized healthcare and medical training. The Foundation also plans to extend its support to training clinical officers and promoting ear health awareness among the public.
The University Teaching Hospital – Adult Hospital remains committed to enhancing care, developing medical expertise, and fostering international partnerships that strengthen healthcare delivery in Zambia.
Issued by:Mwiza Mwiya
Public Relations Officer
University Teaching Hospital Adult Hospital