08/10/2025
Ndola Teaching Hospital performs Successful Spinal Operation
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By Cornelius Kabwe
On the 11th of August 2025, tragedy struck along the Ndola Kitwe dual carriageway near Chechele when a Toyota Hiace minibus carrying 15 passengers suffered a tyre burst and overturned several times.
Among the victims rushed to Ndola Teaching Hospital’s Emergency Department was a 36-year-old resident of Ndola who had been traveling to Chingola. For her, the accident would become the darkest chapter of her life yet also the beginning of a story of hope, courage, and medical triumph.
“I remember people screaming, the bus rolling over, and then nothing,” she recalls. She regained consciousness later that same day, surrounded by doctors and nurses at Ndola Teaching Hospital. Confused and terrified, she quickly realized something was terribly wrong: she could not feel her legs.
Doctors soon confirmed her worst fear she had sustained a severe spinal injury. “At that moment, I felt my life was over,” she says. “I had seen and heard stories of people with spinal injuries never walking again. I broke down completely.”
When she was brought in, the medical team immediately ordered X-rays and a CTscan, Scans revealed an incomplete vertebrae fracture with compression of the spinal cord, an injury that left her unable to move her lower limbs and in excruciating pain.
Given the seriousness of her condition, the neurosurgery team recommended emergency surgery. They explained the risks and the delicate nature of the procedure
After hours of conversations, tears, and reassurance, she and her family gave their consent.
The delicate operation lasted seven hours. The surgical team worked with precision and focus to stabilize her spine.
After some time unexpectedly, her journey experienced something she thought would never happen again: she moved her right leg. “I called the nurse immediately I couldn’t believe it. The first time I sat up on my own, I cried. It felt like a miracle.”
Today, she continues to make steady progress. She is undergoing intensive physiotherapy and is now able to stand upright and move with the aid of a walker.
The doctors and rehabilitation team have not only provided her with expert medical care, but also with emotional and physical support that has kept her hopeful throughout her journey.
Her voice now carries both gratitude and strength: “I am walking again because God used the doctors and nurses at Ndola Teaching Hospital. I am really happy and hopeful. I know I will get better and go back to the things I used to do. I am grateful to God and to the doctors at Ndola Teaching Hospital who gave me a second chance at life.”
The operation not only transformed her future but also marked a historic milestone for Ndola Teaching Hospital and the Copperbelt Province.
The skilled surgical and theatre team included: Surgeons: Dr. Gerald Musa Assistant:Dr. Chifundo Daka , Anaesthetist: Dr kabamba Petronella, Scrub nurse:Mr. Ndanjii and Mr Paul, Radiographer Mr. Andrew Ngulube
In line with the government's vision to ensure the availability of specialist services around the country, spinal operations of such complexity can now be successfully performed locally, an achievement that once would have required costly treatment abroad or in Lusaka, often at a significant financial and emotional cost.
As the hospital continues to expand its specialized services, this story stands as a beacon of hope for patients across Zambia.
It is proof that with commitment, skill, and faith, even the darkest tragedies can give rise to stories of healing and triumph.
Ndola Teaching Hospital Public Relations Department.