Global Surgical Initiatives and the Mount Sinai Global Surgery Program have been working to transform access to safe, high-quality surgical care across underserved communities in Africa.

Our flagship surgical center in Uganda serves as a demonstration of what is possible when innovative infrastructure, local capacity building, and strategic partnerships come together to address one of the world's greatest healthcare challenges: access to surgery. Through this model, we are expanding access to life-saving and life-changing care while strengthening health systems for long-term impact.

Our program has achieved several important milestones. We established East Africa’s first laparoscopic simulation laboratory, training the next generation of surgeons in advanced minimally invasive techniques. Through teleproctoring partnerships with the Mount Sinai Health System, we successfully performed advanced breast reconstruction procedures, expanding specialized surgical services for women. Collaborations with leading global partners have enabled innovative cancer care initiatives, including esophageal cancer awareness and stent training programs that have directly benefited patients across the region. We have also introduced cutting-edge technologies such as microwave liver ablation, bringing advanced treatment options to patients who previously had limited access to these interventions.

Beyond clinical care, our commitment to sustainability is embedded in every aspect of our work. From solar-powered healthcare infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems to responsible waste management and renewable energy initiatives, we are demonstrating how healthcare delivery can be both environmentally and economically sustainable.

Building on the success of our Uganda model, we are preparing to launch our next surgical care center in sub-Saharan Africa, expanding access to high-quality care and demonstrating how this approach can be replicated across the continent and beyond.

Mount Sinai has an extensive history in assisting local surgeons in Asia with complex surgical procedures. Our Plastic Surgery Division has been involved in caring for children in Vietnam with cleft lip and other craniofacial conditions since the 1980s. Our urological surgeons from Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside have also been teaching urologists in India for the last few decades. Mount Sinai strives to continue building capacity and empowering surgeons in these developing countries.

Many of Mount Sinai’s global surgery efforts have focused on the Caribbean Islands. Our projects range from providing emergency disaster relief in Haiti to building a 10-year collaborative relationship with local surgeons in the Dominican Republic.

Our medical students, with help from the Global Health Program, have organized yearly surgical trips to Honduras since 2008. We are committed to building capacity in these countries and forging sustainable change.