Edinburgh’s Royal College of Surgeons has bestowed a Fellowship on the Eastern Cape’s Dr Radhakrishnan Jayakrishnan, who is dedicated to surgery in rural areas and has made it his life’s mission to develop surgical services in underprivileged areas and challenging environments.
The fellowship is from one of the oldest surgical bodies in the world, its origins tracing back to the Guild of Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505, reports Daily Dispatch.
Jayakrishnan, who heads the department of general surgery at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane and is also a senior lecturer at Walter Sisulu University, was awarded the fellowship in recognition of his long-standing involvement with the Primary Trauma Care Foundation,
Eight years ago he was recruited by the provincial Department of Health to revitalise surgical services at Cecilia Makiwane, and has played a pivotal role in transforming the surgical department from its initial rudimentary state to a fully staffed unit, including consultants, registrars, medical officers and interns.
Jayakrishnan believes access to quality surgical care should not be limited by geographical locations or socioeconomic conditions.
“Conviction inspired me to focus on improving healthcare delivery in underserved regions, where the need for specialised surgical services often goes unmet,” he said, adding he had been inspired by his father, who had practised as a GP before specialising as a general surgeon.
“Observing the positive effect he had on his patients left a lasting impression on me.”
Jayakrishnan completed his undergraduate training in India before pursuing a higher diploma in surgery at the College of Surgeons of SA.
He joined the department of general surgery at Nelson Mandela Hospital as a surgical registrar, completing his postgraduate specialisation and qualifying as a fellow of the College of Surgeons of SA.
He said there was a critical shortage of general surgeons in rural areas. “The ongoing challenges of recruitment and retention in these regions highlight the urgent need for interventions to ensure access to surgical care for these populations.”
He suggested the SA College of Surgeons develop a specialised training programme in rural surgery, “which would greatly benefit regional hospitals and improve healthcare delivery in these areas”.
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