Client News & Events
Swedish-African Neurosurgery Collaboration Expands Its Reach
On a cold winter day in November 2018, the Swedish-African Neurosurgical Collaboration (SANC) was founded at an open workshop during the Swedish Neurosurgical Association's annual meeting in Stockholm. The goal was clear: to establish an interprofessional collaboration with hospitals in Africa, training neurosurgeons in microsurgical techniques and improving perioperative care for neurosurgical patients.
The idea of creating something like SANC came about as Swedish neurosurgeon Magnus Tisell visited Malawi and was confronted with the stark reality of the country’s surgical care shortage: an issue common across much of West Africa, where just a few surgeons serve millions of people. This experience sparked the launch of the Swedish African Neurosurgery Collaboration (SANC), a non-profit initiative uniting Swedish university hospitals with healthcare institutions in West and East Africa.
SANC focuses on long-term partnerships and sustainable knowledge transfer. Unlike short-term missions, local medical teams perform surgeries in collaboration with Swedish specialists. Over the past five years, the initiative has enabled more than 120 neurosurgical procedures in Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, while training over 200 healthcare workers. As a result, local surgical capacity has increased by more than 40%.
The collaboration is entirely volunteer-driven and supported by donations of equipment and supplies from medical companies. Firms like Po Medica, B. Braun, and Medan are already involved, and SANC is now actively seeking new partners, both philanthropic and commercial, to support its continued growth.
“We want to create long-term, win-win partnerships,” says Tisell. “Our model allows companies to contribute meaningfully while also gaining visibility in emerging African markets.”
A national awareness campaign and lecture tour are underway to attract further support. Those interested in partnering can contact Magnus Tisell directly or reach out via Ventures Accelerated, which helps develop mutually beneficial collaborations between SANC and potential sponsors.
Read more about the campaign here.
What if eating became a daily struggle?
For thousands living with EoE — Eosinophilic Esophagitis — eating is more than just nourishment. Causing severe inflammation in the esophagus, this chronic disease leads to burning, food blockages, and anxiety at every meal.
Often linked to food allergies, it can severely impact quality of life. During the month of May, actors worldwide have raised awareness about this condition and how its prevalence is increasing. One of those actors is Aqilion, launching a series of videos about the disease together with Ventures Accelerated and Phosworks.