Hawassa University College of Medicine & Health Science
Department of Orthopaedic & Spine Surgery
HAWASSA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCE
Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital is a leading referral center, serving more than 20 million catchment population in southern Ethiopia. It is located in Hawassa City, Sidama Region, about 270 km south of Addis Ababa.
The Department of Orthopedic and Traumatology was established in 2015 by Dr. Ephrem Gebrehana Adem, who founded and shaped the department into a center of advanced orthopedic care, training and clinical research.
Foundations and Early Growth of the department (2015–2018)
The roots of orthopedic practice at Hawassa University was established in late the 2015, under the pioneering leadership of Dr. Ephrem Gebrehana Adem, the founder of the department from the scratch and aspire to establish regional center of excellence. At that time, the hospital had no dedicated orthopedic surgeon, instruments, clinic, laboratory, ward or operating theatre. Dr. Ephrem’s determination and foresight drive the creation of the first orthopedic service in southern Ethiopia serving a population of more than 20 million people.
Within two years, the orthopedic service was under the department of surgery and achieved foundational milestones including increase the number of orthopedic surgeons, securing an exclusive orthopedic operating table, establishing a dedicated ward and outpatient clinic. The department quickly gained recognition for its excellence in patient care and nursing practice, being named one of the best wards in the hospital.
A cornerstone of these achievements was the department’s partnership with international collaborators, particularly the AO Alliance, which provided essential surgical training, leadership development and implant support. Additional partnerships with Australian Doctors for Africa (ADFA), SIGN Fracture Care International, Northwest Orthopaedic and Trauma Alliance for Africa (NOTAA), Cure International Hospital and Addis Ababa University further strengthened the department’s foundation and global connections.
Capacity Building and Clinical service Expanding (2019–2025)
In recent years, the department has grown rapidly in both clinical services and training capacity. With the support of ADFA, it established its own dedicated service complex building, becoming a fully independent department. It established distinct clinical units in general orthopedics, advanced trauma and arthroplasty, spine surgery and pediatric orthopedics, each supported by subspecialty-trained faculty. Infrastructure development was a major focus during this period.
In March 2023, the department inaugurated a dedicated orthopedic operating theatre, fully equipped with modern C-arm imaging and advanced surgical tools. The inauguration was attended by national and international partners, including representatives from the Sidama Regional Health Bureau, AO Alliance, ADFA, and Hawassa University leadership. This theatre marked a turning point enabling advanced procedures such as complex pelvic and acetabular reconstruction, spine surgery, and joint replacement to be performed locally.
Recognition given for the top scorer at the gala dinner
First batch residents Gala dinner after they completed their exam
Non Op course for Medical Interns
Clinical Research, Innovation and Training
The department has grown into a vibrant hub of clinical research and innovation, generating local evidence to inform best practices in orthopedic care. Its Research Unit conducts problem-solving audits, quality improvement projects, observational studies, randomized controlled trials and capacity building initiatives with tangible community impact.
Among its notable ongoing projects, few can be mentioned as below:
The BOSAD Project
a national multicenter multifaceted Implementational project aiming to improve the musculoskeletal care in Ethiopia by integrating primary healthcare professionals, first aid providers including school communities and traditional bone setters to improve fracture care and reduce complications from harmful traditional practices.
STOPUS Trial
a randomized controlled study-comparing operative versus non-operative management of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures. This is the study under progress where more than 50% of the study participants are recruited from seven centers and being followed for one-year outcome.
CORE MSK registry
is one of the big flagship project of the department where all the MSK patients’ data is being collected for impactful studies, which will be utilized for policy change. The registry is ready to be scale up at national level.
Training
The department also delivers regular training sessions, media briefings and webinars, translating research findings into practice. For the past 38 consecutive rounds, it has been delivering the AO Alliance Non-operative fracture management Course for medical interns, helping young doctors build essential trauma management skills early in their careers.
Our Partners
