Dr. Mary Ajak

Dr. Mary Ajak is a physician with plastic and reconstructive surgery training at Juba Teaching Hospital, South Sudan's primary teaching hospital in the nation's capital. With over 10 years of medical experience, Dr. Ajak addresses the substantial burden of trauma-related and burns injuries in South Sudan — a country that has experienced prolonged civil conflict, resulting in a high incidence of war wounds, blast injuries, burns, and post-conflict reconstructive needs among the civilian population. She is one of a small number of plastic and reconstructive surgery-trained practitioners in South Sudan, and her work has significant impact on the lives of patients who would otherwise have no access to reconstructive care. Dr. Ajak collaborates closely with visiting surgical teams from international humanitarian surgical organisations including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Mercy Ships, which provide advanced reconstructive surgical support to South Sudanese patients. She is committed to building sustainable plastic surgery capacity within the country.

Dr. Mary Ajak completed her MBBS before pursuing specialist training in plastic and reconstructive surgery through a diploma programme facilitated by international surgical training organisations. Her training encompassed the fundamentals of reconstructive surgery including wound closure, skin grafting, flap surgery, burns management, and post-trauma reconstruction. She has benefited from hands-on training alongside visiting international plastic surgeons from humanitarian surgical missions that periodically operate at Juba Teaching Hospital. Dr. Ajak has participated in training workshops hosted by Operation Smile, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Mercy Ships focused on cleft lip and palate repair, burn contracture release, and reconstructive techniques for conflict-related injuries. She engages with international surgical education platforms for continuing skills development, adapting her practice to the resource-limited realities of South Sudan.

Dr. Ajak's plastic surgery expertise is shaped by the trauma and burns burden of South Sudan. Her reconstructive surgery practice encompasses wound closure and scar management for post-traumatic and post-burn injuries, skin grafting for large open wounds and burns, and release of post-burn contractures that restrict movement. She has experience in basic flap surgery for wound coverage and local tissue rearrangement. In burns management, she provides initial assessment and care for thermal burns, chemical burns, and electrical burns, including resuscitation of major burns patients and planning of staged surgical reconstruction. She has participated in cleft lip and palate repair missions under the guidance of visiting specialist teams. Her wound care practice is broad, encompassing chronic ulcers, infected wounds, and complex surgical site wounds. Her surgical approach is adapted to available resources, emphasising durable outcomes achievable within a constrained environment.

Juba Teaching Hospital's plastic surgery services are primarily directed towards the South Sudanese population, including internally displaced persons and conflict-affected communities. International humanitarian workers based in South Sudan who sustain traumatic or burns injuries may access Dr. Ajak's services at Juba Teaching Hospital. Consultations are conducted in English. For complex reconstructive procedures requiring advanced facilities, patients are referred to Kenya, Uganda, or abroad under international evacuation arrangements. International surgical organisations conducting visiting missions to South Sudan work with Dr. Ajak's team to perform elective reconstructive operations, including cleft repair and burn contracture releases, for patients on waiting lists who cannot afford international travel.

Dr. Mary Ajak has been recognised by the South Sudan Ministry of Health for her dedication to plastic and reconstructive surgery in one of the world's most challenging healthcare environments. She has received commendation from Médecins Sans Frontières and international surgical humanitarian organisations for her collaboration on visiting surgical mission teams. Her commitment to developing plastic surgery capacity in South Sudan and her advocacy for conflict-affected patients requiring reconstructive care has been acknowledged by global surgical health networks.