Humanitarian Missions

EHS celebrates and amplifies the humanitarian work our members undertake to improve access to safe hernia care worldwide. We take pride in our role of sharing mission reports, raising awareness and signposting to the organisations running these initiatives locally. 

About humanitarian missions
Hernia surgery can be life-changing, yet access remains uneven worldwide. Some of our EHS members volunteer on short-term surgical and training visits that:

• deliver high-quality hernia repair to patients who would otherwise struggle to access care, and
• build sustainable capacity by training local surgeons, anaesthesia teams and theatre staff, often through “train-the-trainer” approaches.

These missions are collaborative, practical and education-focused: teams operate alongside local colleagues, provide hands-on teaching, and, when possible, help source essential consumables. The long-term goal is strong local services and enduring improvement in patient outcomes.

Our collaborations
EHS primarily highlights member activities carried out with established non-profit partners, including:

• Operation Hernia
• Global Hernia Relief 
• Surgeons for Africa 

We welcome collaboration with organisations and teams who share our commitment to expanding access to safe hernia care. We’re keen to cross-promote and support knowledge-sharing across the community.

Previous reports
Read members’ mission reports below.