The Soavinandriana Hospital Center (Cenhsoa) kicks off its 135th-anniversary celebrations today. This is an opportunity to look back at the establishment’s evolution through the narrative of Dr. Raymond Sambany, a living memory of the military hospital.
Dr. Raymond Sambany, 72, embodies four decades of the military hospital’s history. He joined as a volunteer surgeon in 1986 and witnessed key periods, from the era of foreign cooperation to the hospital’s emancipation. He worked alongside all the Malagasy directors general of the institution, including Professors Razanamparany, Rakotovao, Razafindramboa, Rajaonarison, Fanomezantsoa Rakoto, and Willy Ratovondrainy.
Dr. Sambany has been both a witness and an actor in the evolution of surgery in Madagascar. He recalls that when he arrived, the hospital relied heavily on foreign cooperation, with all services managed by expatriates. The turning point came around 1994, with the autonomy of Malagasy medical teams. This shift allowed practitioners to specialize, improving the quality of care while moving away from the generalist approach of the past.
Dr. Sambany became a pioneer in surgery at the establishment. As a member of the team that performed closed-heart surgeries independently since 2016, he also became one of the first surgeons in the country to learn open-heart surgery, which has been practiced in Madagascar since the first half of 2024. This represents a major advancement for Malagasy medicine, reducing the need for medical evacuations abroad.
Reflecting on the hospital’s journey, Dr. Sambany concludes that while there are still equipment gaps compared to foreign hospitals, the institution has achieved a high standard that allows for quality medical operations.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-19 06:09:21 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/centre-hospitalier-de-soavinandriana-dr.html