Côte d’Ivoire: new reconstructive surgery mission

Caustic burns of the oesophagus are a scourge and a largely underestimated factor in infant mortality. Caustic burns are essentially caused by the accidental ingestion of a corrosive product by infants, resulting in irreversible and particularly painful lesions extending from the lips to the esophagus. Children suffering from such sequelae can no longer eat except by means of a gastric tube inserted directly into the stomach. Accidental ingestions of caustic soda are very frequent in Côte d’Ivoire and throughout the West African sub-region, as this substance is widely used in the domestic sphere of very low-income families for dyeing clothes, making handmade soap and hairdressing. This colorless, odorless substance, in crystal or liquid form, is often mistaken for food by children.

Launch of a major program to prevent household accidents involving corrosive products

Chaîne de l’Espoir, in close collaboration with the Côte d’Ivoire Red Cross and the Hôpital Mère-Enfant de Bingerville, is organizing a new surgical mission in the week of January 27, 2020 to treat children who have accidentally swallowed caustic soda, and is launching an ambitious domestic accident prevention program.

For this new mission, La Chaîne de l’Espoir will be caring for 10 Ivorian children, as well as 4 children from other countries in the sub-region: 1 from Chad, 1 from Senegal, 1 from Mali and 1 from Benin. They will benefit from oesophageal replacement or dilatation, depending on the severity of the after-effects. These young patients will be accompanied by a family member. During this mission, the local Ivorian medical team will be assisted bya multidisciplinary French team comprising three specialized surgeons, an anesthetist/resuscitator, an endoscopist and three nurses, who will help to further train the local team in this type of operation.

In parallel with this surgical mission, La Chaîne de l’Espoir is also carrying out wider awareness-raising and prevention campaigns aimed at the local population, local authorities and health personnel, to warn them of the dangers posed by these corrosive products in the home. This program aims to raise awareness by shedding light on this forgotten problem in West Africa.