November 2025

In November 2025, Med Surg Support carried out a ten-day mission in Burundi, led by Dr. Olivier Beatrix and Dr. Marie-Cécile Blanchet, with a dual objective: to assess the current state of minimally invasive surgery in the country and to establish long-term partnerships, particularly with Van Norman Clinic and the organization Mercy Surgeons. A meeting with Dr. Innocent and Dr. Alliance from Mercy Surgeons, whose contact was provided by MIS Africa, revealed a shared goal: promoting laparoscopic surgery.

The mission included visits to a wide range of public and private healthcare facilities:

• Terezia Polyclinic, which has been equipped with a new laparoscopy tower since 2023;
• Tanganyika Hospital, where laparoscopic procedures are already being performed by Dr. Abayo;
• CHUK, which currently has no laparoscopic equipment, while the country’s second university hospital owns an older tower that has never been used; a second, brand-new tower is expected through a Japanese donation in February 2026;
• Van Norman Clinic, which is planning to launch a laparoscopic surgery program.

Several key findings emerged from the mission: equipment is often available but underutilized, there is a significant need for training, and committed local partners are already engaged. The mission concluded with the signing of a collaboration agreement between Van Norman Clinic and Med Surg Support, paving the way for a structured program to expand laparoscopic surgery in Burundi.