A joint medical team from the Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) and the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) successfully performed two emergency operations, saving the lives of two women at Mulobezi Mission Hospital on Monday.

The ZFDS obstetrics and gynaecology team, led by obstetrician Dr. Rashid Nchimunya and anesthetist Dr. Morden Kalonga, responded to an emergency call at approximately 03:00 hours.

The team was alerted to a 30-year-old woman referred from Nawinda Rural Health Centre, located 66 kilometers away.

It was the woman's fifth pregnancy, and she had failed to deliver at the local facility due to the baby's large size and breech position.

By the time she reached the hospital, she had a ruptured uterus and the baby was a fresh stillbirth (FSB).

The team performed a two-hour operation to stabilize the patient, who is now in a stable condition and recovering.

Shortly after the first procedure, the team received a second case: a 49-year-old woman suffering from abnormal uterine bleeding underwent a hysterectomy.

The patient, who had been bleeding for four years and lacked access to a specialist, also underwent a successful operation and is now stable.

Dr. Mulope, the District Health Director, stated that such cases are typically referred due to a lack of specialists, and the team’s presence was “well appreciated.”

In a separate operation at Nawinda Rural Health Centre, the medical team treated 285 patients, including a 17-year-old girl who underwent minor surgery for an upper eyelid abscess.

According to her father, Mr. Ngenjo, the family could not afford to take her to the district hospital for the procedure.

The ZFDS and ZAF team is conducting the humanitarian program in areas affected by last year's drought and is providing a range of medical services, including dental, eye, and general screenings.