Restoring The Ability To Walk: Hip Replacements in West Africa
- tran401
- 18 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By Brett MacLean, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Global Partners in Hope
During my medical training, after sensing a long-term call to serve in rural Africa, there were moments when I thought, we’ll never be able to do THIS there. One of those things was hip replacement surgery.
Fast forward a few years, and along comes Dr. Josh Urban, a highly skilled hip and knee replacement surgeon, offering his time and expertise.
Even then, I didn’t fully grasp the tremendous need for hip replacements in West Africa. That changed in the spring of 2025, when I met with leading sickle cell specialists in Benin and asked about their greatest need. Their answer was immediate, “Hip replacements.”
Many children with sickle cell disease develop a debilitating condition called avascular necrosis of the hip. Without access to surgery, these children and young adults often live the rest of their lives handicapped by severe pain and limited mobility.
The normal hip on the left shows good blood supply. On the right is the hip of someone with avascular necrosis. The lack of good blood flow leads to the destruction of the joint, along with pain and debilitation.
Hip replacement surgery involves removing the necrotic head of the femur and replacing it with a durable artificial joint. This procedure relieves pain and restores the ability to move freely.
Last month, Dr. Urban and I met in Benin with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Goukodadja and sickle cell specialists, including Dr. Tatiana Baglo (pictured in the center), to prepare for future surgeries. Dr. Goukodadja is highly skilled, but most families cannot afford these procedures, and local surgeons are eager to learn newer techniques not yet available in the region.
The groundwork is now laid for an upcoming surgical mission where American and Beninois teams will perform hip replacements side by side, giving children and young adults the chance to walk again and live free from constant pain.
Dr. Urban and I are checking out the operating room where our teams will work alongside Dr. Goukodadja, the first of many trips across West Africa to meet this tremendously important need.
This work is a powerful reminder that the skills we've been given can be used to serve others meaningfully. When students ask how to make the greatest impact, I encourage them to pursue what brings them joy and use those gifts to serve others. For those motivated by faith, it's an opportunity to offer that work back to God, and we're so grateful for how He continues to bring people and resources together to make it possible.