Currently, nine million children in countries served by CURE are awaiting surgeries for conditions like clubfoot, cleft lip/palate, knock knees, and bowed legs. This highlights the critical need for local specialized healthcare professionals like Dr. Chisomo Shawa, an Orthopedic Surgeon at Beit-CURE Children’s Hospital of Zambia (CURE Zambia), whose work exemplifies the impact of local expertise and dedication.
Zambia has a shortage of surgeons, with only 86 for a population of 14.6 million, underscoring the necessity for local solutions. By training specialized healthcare professionals like Dr. Shawa, communities can address this immense need from within, ensuring sustainable and impactful care for all children.
Serving for a Deeper Calling
Dr. Shawa has always known God placed a calling on his heart to serve in the health sector. When the time came to choose a career path, it was a no-brainer that he would study medicine and specialize in orthopedics.
The highly trained surgeon is a fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and holds four master’s degrees from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Zambia, the University of Lusaka, and DPU (Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune) University. He has also practiced medicine at Senenga General Hospital, Kitwe Teaching Hospital, Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital, and various Zambian mission hospitals through Fly Specialists (FLYSPEC).
“A defining moment that warmed my heart toward serving children with disabilities was when I noticed there was a huge gap in surgical care for children born with disabilities while serving in rural areas of Zambia,” said Dr Shawa. “Priority was given to patients who injured themselves and not to children who were born with a disability.”
While practicing as an Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Shawa found himself treating trauma cases, but all his heart longed for was to see children born with disabilities receive surgical care.
A ray of light shone through when he came to CURE Zambia as a resident doctor and started doing his rotations. The moment he understood CURE’s mission and the conditions we treat, he knew he was in the right place.
“My heart was filled with joy when I came to CURE and saw children with various disabilities getting treatment. It was as if God Himself led the path that brought me to CURE Zambia,” Dr. Shawa shares.
Because of his passion for helping kids with disabilities heal, after he was done with his six months of medical residency, Dr. Shawa joined the world-class medical team of professionals at CURE Zambia as a full-time Orthopedic Surgeon, becoming the third Orthopedic Surgeon at the hospital.
“Treating children is so rewarding because they are able to heal so quickly, and my work gets to make a lifetime of impact,” says Dr. Shawa. “The opportunity to serve at CURE Zambia is one of the greatest honors of my life. I am passionate about incorporating the Christian faith into the healing process.”
He marvels at how God is involved in every surgical procedure. “There is a higher power that works through us. And the beauty about the cases we see is that it’s never cast in stone that every procedure will be done the same way. God always orchestrates each surgical procedure to help a child get the best results beyond the expectations of the surgeon.”
Fulfilling God’s Purpose One Surgery at a Time
Dr. Shawa’s work with CURE Zambia’s orthopedic team means that children like Kepi, a jovial and intelligent boy who was born with clubfoot, finally have a chance to receive treatment. Kepi lived with life-limiting clubfoot for 15 years without any hope of finding help—until he found CURE.
“Due to my feet, I can’t stand barefoot on a hard surface because I have to stand on my ankles, and it hurts,” Kepi told CURE Zambia’s staff before his surgery. As if this wasn’t enough, he constantly dealt with the emotional pain of people laughing at him because of his clubfoot.
After receiving life-changing surgical care and continuing with his recovery and treatment, Kepi is finally on a path to having not only straight feet but also renewed confidence in the future—and a smile on his face.
“God’s purpose for my life is what has brought me to this point. Seeing a child go from having no hope of walking or running to seeing them run and play without a disability is what fuels my passion to serve more children with disabilities,” says Dr. Shawa.
We are thankful to God for our dedicated donors who make treatment possible for kids like Kepi, whose lives are limited because of treatable disabilities.
Click here to learn how you can support surgeons like Dr. Shawa and CURE’s vision for providing even more hope and healing to children living with treatable disabilities.
About the Beit-CURE Children’s Hospital of Zambia
Established in 2006, CURE Zambia performs over 2,500 life-changing reconstructive, orthopedic, ENT, and audiological surgeries each year for children suffering from treatable disabilities. Strategically located in Lusaka, the teaching hospital comprises six buildings, 54 beds, and three operating theatres. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE Zambia ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their communities. The Beit Trust, a UK-based charity, provided the funding for this facility as a centennial gift to the people of Zambia. CURE Zambia is a strategic partner with the Ministry of Health.
