Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon, Dr Amanda Nang’andu Malungo, has shattered the elusive glass ceiling to become Zambia’s first female plastic surgeon.

This follows Dr Nang’andu’s successful double qualification; Masters in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Smile Train - COSECSA Fellowship program in Kenya to make history in Zambia.

She has dedicated her illustrious career to treating cleft lip and palate, a congenital malformation in which patients experience difficulty in breathing, eating, speaking and hearing and some even die before their first birthday.

Many patients who live with untreated cleft lip and/or palate are stigmatised and isolated.

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Dr Amanda Nang’andu Malungo. PHOTO/SMILE TRAIN

The Zambian Doctor attained her COSECSA Fellowship from the University of Nairobi in Kenya after receiving full scholarship from Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity.

“I was introduced to clefts during undergraduate training and got involved in active cleft surgery during my specialist training. I was particularly touched by a young woman who was abandoned by her husband and family because she had a history of cleft lip and later, birthed a child with a cleft,” she said.

She noted, “In most African cultures, people still face discrimination because of cleft lip and palate.”

According to the Global Surgery Foundation, approximately 1.7 billion children across the world cannot access safe surgical care.

Smile Train is currently working with the College of Surgeons of East and Southern Africa (COSECSA) on a five-year program that will see four female surgeons get full scholarship to specialise in essential reconstructive surgery.

Smile Train Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa Dr Esther Njoroge-Muriithi said the charity invests in training of medics for them to provide free, safe and quality treatment in their communities.

“We are committed to offering a full scholarship to four female plastic surgeons every year over the next five years, and 10 surgeons in total. We have plugged in an investment worth $500,000 to encourage more women to become surgeons even as they provide quality cleft treatment closer to their communities,” said Dr Njoroge-Muriithi.

Dr Amanda Nang’andu Malungo. PHOTO/SMILE TRAIN

The 36-year-old surgeon and mother of four pursued her undergraduate studies in medicine at the University of Zambia (BscHB, MbChB) and worked as a general practitioner at Kafue General Hospital.

At the health facility in Zambia, she also served as a Medical Superintendent for a year and then in 2015, she opted to specialise in plastic surgery at the University of Nairobi.

Smile Train has supported programs in Africa since 2002 and has locally partnered with more than 245 hospitals and more than 255 medical practitioners in 40 countries in Africa to avail free cleft treatment.

The organisation’s local medical partners have provided more than 120,000 life-changing cleft surgeries across Africa and trained medics including cleft surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, nutritionists, speech therapists, orthodontists and community health volunteers.