Located on Africa’s southwestern coast, Angola boasts abundant resources yet faces significant challenges in infant and child health. Marked by high rates of preventable diseases and limited access to subspecialized medical services, infant mortality remains a pressing concern. Within this landscape, hydrocephalus emerges as a particularly devastating condition, impacting numerous children and families nationwide.

Dr. Inocente Mayanda, a neurosurgeon at the Centro Neurocirúrgico e de Tratamento à Hidrocefalia (CNCTH) in Luanda, Angola, has long been associated with the pioneering work of our founder, Dr. Warf. Their collaboration began in Uganda, where Dr. Mayanda traveled to learn the Warf method (ETV/CPC) under Dr. John Mugamba, Dr. Warf’s first Ugandan fellow. Dr. Mayanda’s native language is Portuguese and has limited proficiency in English. However, he and Dr. Mugamba formed a special bond in learning to communicate with each other for the few months they were together. Upon returning to Angola, this innovative surgical technique brought renewed hope to the many families in need. However, amidst a rising burden of hydrocephalus and a shortage of locally trained neurosurgeons, the growing need for continued partnership persisted.

In 2022, we deepened our collaboration with Dr. Mayanda, providing further training to him and his colleagues on the Warf method (ETV/CPC) using our novel remote presence technology and training program. In doing so, our work with Dr. Mayanda positions him well to subsequently mentor additional surgeons in Angola, thereby enhancing accessibility to these life-saving surgical interventions.

Number of children who have received hydrocephalus surgeries since NeuroKids intervention