Zimbabwean doctors have successfully performed the country’s first Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery and Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) procedure, marking a major milestone in the treatment of complex neurological disorders.
The two operations, conducted on 28 and 29 May 28, were led by Zimbabwean neurosurgeon Nathaniel Zimani with technical support from a visiting Chinese medical team.
Both patients remain in stable condition following post‑operative monitoring.
DBS and SCS are specialised procedures used to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions that are often resistant to medication, including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, drug‑resistant epilepsy, chronic pain and certain post‑stroke complications.
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DBS involves implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain to regulate abnormal neural activity while SCS uses electrical impulses delivered to the spinal cord to relieve severe, persistent pain.
Until now, Zimbabwean patients requiring such interventions had to travel abroad, typically at high cost.
Chen Yanliang, a chief surgeon from Xiangtan Central Hospital in China who assisted in the operations, said; “the procedures “filled a technological gap” and represented a major leap for local neurosurgical capacity.”
The milestone places Zimbabwe among a small number of African countries capable of offering advanced neuromodulation therapies.
The operations also marked the first formal deployment in Africa of neuromodulation technology developed by China’s Tsinghua University and commercialised by Beijing PINS Medical Co.
The equipment, which meets international standards but is more affordable than comparable Western systems, is expected to improve access to advanced neurological care in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
AP
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