Kyabirwa Surgical Centre Becomes First In Region To Adopt OR Black Box, Puts Uganda On Global Surgical Map

Kyabirwa Surgical Centre (KSC), located in Eastern Uganda, has become the first facility in East and Central Africa to adopt the OR Black Box®, a milestone in regional healthcare. This technology monitors everything from team performance and procedural flow to environmental conditions, with data kept private and secure while being used to enhance patient safety, efficiency, and surgical training.

Since its inception, KSC has performed over 4,000 essential surgeries—including hernia repairs and appendectomies—for a catchment population of more than 6.2 million people, many living over two hours from surgical care. The centre also stands as a model of sustainability and empowerment—powered by solar energy, harvesting rainwater, built with locally sourced materials, and staffed by more than 70 Ugandans.

The OR Black Box adds a digital layer to this ecosystem, creating a living archive of surgical expertise that enables real-time telemedicine with international partners and will help shape the training of future generations of local surgeons.