UKZN's first PhD graduate in paediatric surgery

Dr Hansraj Mangray made history by becoming the first PhD graduate in paediatric surgery since the founding of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2004.

Mangray graduated on Wednesday.

The father of two sons said his main reason for pursuing his PhD was to uplift the paediatric surgical fraternity.

"I want to improve patient outcomes and do better and provide a better service. I want to encourage my colleagues to pursue research.

"I am focused on teaching the younger generation new skills. My approach is minimal access surgical technique instead of big laparotomy or a thoracotomy which leave bigger scars," he said.

Mangray’s PhD research focused on Minimal Access Surgery (MAS) for children, a technique that is less invasive and promotes faster recovery. It has been historically underutilised in South Africa due to a lack of accessible training.

Mangray established a MAS training laboratory at Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.With support from industry partners, the lab was equipped with advanced surgical tools, allowing for high-quality training of surgeons in KwaZulu-Natal.

He developed a novel, low-cost training technique using basic household items to simulate intra-corporeal suturing which is a critical skill in MAS.

He then conducted comparative research that showed candidates trained with his simulation method outperformed those using conventional video-based techniques.

As a result of his work, the number of MAS procedures performed on paediatric patients at Greys Hospital has steadily increased.

The lab now hosts three annual courses, including an advanced MAS course attended by trainees from across South Africa.

Complex procedures such as laparoscopic Nissen fundoplications and thoracoscopic esophageal atresia repairs are now being performed and taught locally, a huge leap forward for paediatric surgical care in the country.

Currently, Mangray is an honorary lecturer in Paediatric Surgery at UKZN and Head of the Paediatric Surgical Clinical Unit at Greys Hospital.

"Less invasive surgery means lesser pain, shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery for patients.

"With medicine developing, MAS development uptake in South Africa is slower for children compared to adults," he said.

He said there was a need for more paediatric surgeons in South Africa.Formerly from Phoenix, now living in Pietermaritzburg, Mangray chose to pursue medicine after completing matric at Earlington SecondaryHe chose the medical field after seeing first-hand how desperate the need for care was in the communities.

The challenges he witnessed in the public healthcare system - such as waiting for many hours at clinics and sometimes not seeing a doctor at all - sparked a personal mission to serve and change the system from within.

"My parents instilled the value of education in us, even though they didn’t have the opportunity to study. I decided to pursue medicine because I saw first-hand how desperate the need for care was in our communities," he said.

While specialising in general surgery, Mangray was exposed to the sub-speciality of paediatric surgery.

"There were only about 30 paediatric surgeons in the country at the time. The need was so great, and the impact of every successful operation on a child’s life was immense. I knew this was my calling," he said.

Mangray plans to further his academic career with a focus on improving outcomes for paediatric surgical patients in South Africa.

His goal is to transform the way children receive surgical care through evidence-based innovation, teaching and advocacy.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE