Dr Andrew Browning AM
Last Thursday we were fortunate enough to hear one of the most inspirational speakers our Club has had the pleasure of hearing. Dr. Andrew Browning AM is an obstetrician and gynaecologist who has spent the last 20 years working and living in Africa, mainly Ethiopia and Tanzania, as a fistula surgeon. Andrew and his team have now trained numerous surgeons and midwives to work with their own people in this region. In the past 17 years Andrew has also operated on approximately 6500 women with obstetric fistulas and delivered over 100,000 babies.
Andrew told us about his work in Africa, particular in Ethiopia where 6500 women in 100000 used to die in childbirth. This figure is now to 550. Andrews and his team have build hospitals, trained obstetricians and midwives all over sub-Saharan Africa. This team has now opened fistula camps in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Chad, Uganda, Congo and Toga.
With his aunt Valerie, Andrew set up the Barbara May Foundation to help fund some of his project in Africa and to recruit professional volunteers to help with his work in Africa. What an amazing family.