Dr. Neil Wetzig, – AO; MBBS; FRACS; FRCS(Eng); FCS(ECSA), is an Australian General Surgeon and ‘Consultant and Advisor of Surgical Training Programs’ at HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. He is Emeritus Senior Surgeon at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. His association with Africa commenced in 2003, and since 2006 he has led AusHEAL multi-disciplinary medical teams to Goma, DR Congo, to teach and train clinical staff. In 2015, Neil intentionally finished his surgical practice in Brisbane, Australia to spend more time volunteering in DRC to expand teaching and training in the east of the country. He and his wife Gwen (see photograph) now live and work at least 6 months of each year in Congo.
In 2016, Neil along with Congolese colleagues, commenced at HEAL Africa Hospital, an MCS Essential and Emergency Surgical training program with the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), the first such program in Congo. Much of the course is taught to Congolese by Congolese specialists in their own language.
Dr. Wetzig represents HEAL Africa as a Member of the Permanent Council of the G4 Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care.
Neil is a member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) International Engagement Committee, and examiner in General Surgery for RACS and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA).
