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A Doctor in Africa
Including a preface by HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
The Australian doctor saving the lives and dignity of thousands of women in Africa, one surgery at a time.
From Ethiopia to Sierra Leone, Tanzania to Togo, Dr Andrew Browning has been helping women affected by obstetric fistulas - a debilitating condition resulting from obstructed childbirth - for nearly two decades. Andrew began his African career in the 1990s working with the late Dr Catherine Hamlin and since then has started the Barbara May Foundation, which has built hospitals, trained staff and established programs to heal fistulas and also prevent them from occurring around Africa in the world's most disadvantaged women.
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with obstetric fistulas. They are often made outcasts in their own community, unable to leave their homes and left with little prospect of a happy, fulfilling life. Andrew's operations, and the spread of fistula-skilled surgeons he is training across the continent, don't just relieve the emotional and physical pain of the women affected, but give them hope and a future.
A Doctor in Africa is the uplifting story of Andrew's life, from the challenges faced along the way to the stories of the women whose lives he has forever changed.
All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation.
Praise for A Doctor in Africa
'Andrew's compassion for the women of Africa will inspire and uplift you. Written with warmth and enormous empathy, this book will make you cry - often with tears of joy - and on turning the page have you laughing out loud. A Doctor in Africa is a masterpiece in compassion, sensitivity and caring.' Dame Ann Gloag DBE. Founder, Freedom From Fistula
'Andrew Browning's deep compassion and wonderful surgical skills have given new life to thousands of mothers suffering severe, often horrific childbirth injuries. This Australian doctor has dedicated his life to helping women in Ethiopia, Tanzania and right throughout Africa and beyond regain their dignity and place in society.' Dr Robert Tong AM, Chair, Hamlin Fistula Australia
'Through Dr Browning's astonishing work, countless women shunned even by their own communities are healed, and rivers of tears are turned to laughter and joy. You will cry, you will weep, you will be aghast, but ultimately you will thank God for people like Andrew Browning. Read this if you want your heart broken, then sewn back together richer and pumping with gratitude.' Canon Tim Swan, CEO Anglican Aid
'Dr Andrew Browning is known to us as "the surgeon of difficult cases". In his book, he brings us real stories of the victims of fistula, but with restored good health. Andrew is a compassionate, skilled, devoted, young surgeon who has brought hope and dignity to many vulnerable African women. He awakens our inner being, moving us to become more compassionate.' Sister Dr Imelda Nabukalu, Deputy Medical Director Kitovu Mission Hospital, Masaka, Uganda
'Following in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Dr Catherine Hamlin, Dr Andrew Browning's extraordinary life is as fascinating as it is inspiring. Dr Browning is living out his faith by giving the priceless gift of health to multitudes of African women suffering horrendous injuries simply for trying to bring a child into the world.' Kate Grant, CEO of the Fistula Foundation USA
'I urge you to take up this wonderful read and find your heart deeply thankful and your mind wonderfully informed. The work that Andrew has been doing is a bright signpost to the God he serves. If there is a more thrilling description of what one Aussie doctor has seen and done in African villages to get women restored and rejoicing I'd like to know about it. This book is one of the best antidotes to despondency and doubt I have ever read.' Simon Manchester, Former Rector, St Thomas Anglican Church North Sydney
'Andrew's deep connection with Africa, the land and her people is both confronting and inspiring. Restoring dignity to a marginalised woman is powerful for that individual and her society. His message is one of joy, and hope for a better world.' Dr Vijay Roach, President, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
'Like an Odysseus of modern Africa, Andrew Browning's extensive, interesting and compassion-rich travels with his family to care for local women are also amazing for their rugged versatility and adventurous brio. An exciting story off the beaten track, both literally and medically.' Richard Hamlin
'It has been a privilege to know and work with Dr Andrew Browning. He has been a mentor, role model and great fistula surgeon. He has surrendered his life to help fistula patients. His dedication in fistula work has brought smiles to thousands of women. His life story is inspirational and I would wish to walk in his footsteps.' Dr James J. Chapa, MD, ...
The Australian doctor saving the lives and dignity of thousands of women in Africa, one surgery at a time.
From Ethiopia to Sierra Leone, Tanzania to Togo, Dr Andrew Browning has been helping women affected by obstetric fistulas - a debilitating condition resulting from obstructed childbirth - for nearly two decades. Andrew began his African career in the 1990s working with the late Dr Catherine Hamlin and since then has started the Barbara May Foundation, which has built hospitals, trained staff and established programs to heal fistulas and also prevent them from occurring around Africa in the world's most disadvantaged women.
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with obstetric fistulas. They are often made outcasts in their own community, unable to leave their homes and left with little prospect of a happy, fulfilling life. Andrew's operations, and the spread of fistula-skilled surgeons he is training across the continent, don't just relieve the emotional and physical pain of the women affected, but give them hope and a future.
A Doctor in Africa is the uplifting story of Andrew's life, from the challenges faced along the way to the stories of the women whose lives he has forever changed.
All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation.
Praise for A Doctor in Africa
'Andrew's compassion for the women of Africa will inspire and uplift you. Written with warmth and enormous empathy, this book will make you cry - often with tears of joy - and on turning the page have you laughing out loud. A Doctor in Africa is a masterpiece in compassion, sensitivity and caring.' Dame Ann Gloag DBE. Founder, Freedom From Fistula
'Andrew Browning's deep compassion and wonderful surgical skills have given new life to thousands of mothers suffering severe, often horrific childbirth injuries. This Australian doctor has dedicated his life to helping women in Ethiopia, Tanzania and right throughout Africa and beyond regain their dignity and place in society.' Dr Robert Tong AM, Chair, Hamlin Fistula Australia
'Through Dr Browning's astonishing work, countless women shunned even by their own communities are healed, and rivers of tears are turned to laughter and joy. You will cry, you will weep, you will be aghast, but ultimately you will thank God for people like Andrew Browning. Read this if you want your heart broken, then sewn back together richer and pumping with gratitude.' Canon Tim Swan, CEO Anglican Aid
'Dr Andrew Browning is known to us as "the surgeon of difficult cases". In his book, he brings us real stories of the victims of fistula, but with restored good health. Andrew is a compassionate, skilled, devoted, young surgeon who has brought hope and dignity to many vulnerable African women. He awakens our inner being, moving us to become more compassionate.' Sister Dr Imelda Nabukalu, Deputy Medical Director Kitovu Mission Hospital, Masaka, Uganda
'Following in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Dr Catherine Hamlin, Dr Andrew Browning's extraordinary life is as fascinating as it is inspiring. Dr Browning is living out his faith by giving the priceless gift of health to multitudes of African women suffering horrendous injuries simply for trying to bring a child into the world.' Kate Grant, CEO of the Fistula Foundation USA
'I urge you to take up this wonderful read and find your heart deeply thankful and your mind wonderfully informed. The work that Andrew has been doing is a bright signpost to the God he serves. If there is a more thrilling description of what one Aussie doctor has seen and done in African villages to get women restored and rejoicing I'd like to know about it. This book is one of the best antidotes to despondency and doubt I have ever read.' Simon Manchester, Former Rector, St Thomas Anglican Church North Sydney
'Andrew's deep connection with Africa, the land and her people is both confronting and inspiring. Restoring dignity to a marginalised woman is powerful for that individual and her society. His message is one of joy, and hope for a better world.' Dr Vijay Roach, President, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
'Like an Odysseus of modern Africa, Andrew Browning's extensive, interesting and compassion-rich travels with his family to care for local women are also amazing for their rugged versatility and adventurous brio. An exciting story off the beaten track, both literally and medically.' Richard Hamlin
'It has been a privilege to know and work with Dr Andrew Browning. He has been a mentor, role model and great fistula surgeon. He has surrendered his life to help fistula patients. His dedication in fistula work has brought smiles to thousands of women. His life story is inspirational and I would wish to walk in his footsteps.' Dr James J. Chapa, MD, ...
336 pages, Paperback
Published April 27, 2021
33 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 2, 2021
A good book will inform, entertain, inspire, engage. A great book propels you further. It lingers as a presence after the last page has been read.
“A Doctor In Africa” is, as the name might suggest, quite a straightforward book. Dr Andrew Browning tells his story, from Bowral boy to medical practitioner and visionary, serving and saving thousands of African women suffering from debilitating fistulas (holes formed during obstructed childbirth causing chronic leaking of urine and/or faeces. Women subsequently become outcasts, seemingly incurable, depressed and debilitated.)
But that last paragraph lifts the veil on why this book has the power to linger in the mind. Dr Browning’s achievements are remarkable. Faced with what seems like an overwhelming weight of suffering, limited resources, huge distances and the harshest of conditions, embedded in cultures vastly different to his own, Dr Browning has undertaken his life-changing work with determination, enterprise, incredible perseverance, a deep faith and an enduring love for - and delight in - his patients.
As the events of Dr Browning’s life unfold, a bigger story emerges. It is the power of a simple faith to see suffering and believe that God might have a part for us to play in serving, sharing, loving on His behalf. Seemingly simple childhood moments conspire, in the course of time, to transform lives and communities, bringing hope and healing to so many women in Africa. The scale of the challenge and the uncertainty is always enormous. Yet this is the story of taking the next small step in faith, then, when the moment comes, the one after that. Walking with Dr Browning as he takes those steps through the pages of this book is heartbreaking, inspiring, challenging, sobering.
Although Dr Andrew Browning is, in a literary sense, the hero of this book, he constantly deflects our attention. He admires and loves his colleagues, his patients, the African people, his supporters, his family and his God. His stories are infused with practical, deep, humble faith. Even if you don’t share his faith, you will come to understand what drives Christian service - individual and corporate - and the part that has played in healing so many women suffering from fistulas as well as establishing the means to avoid them happening in the first place.
Despite the gravity of Dr Browning’s work, his sense of humour runs through this book. He’s honest, humble - and he likes a laugh. It’s clearly part of what has made the journey possible and it’s what helps make this book so accessible and readable. (Well done to Patrick Kennedy, with whom Dr Browning collaborated and who managed to herd the abundance of stories into book form!)
I finished this book thinking about my own country and culture, my expectations, aspirations...the availability of healthcare, the wealth of the west, our responsibility to the majority world and the suffering and hardships faced by women, men and children through poverty, isolation and inadequate health care. As a Christian, I’m challenged to shape my faith into a compassionate life. And I’ve been made more aware of the plight of the tens of thousands of young women suffering fistulas across Africa - and of the vital work of The Barbara May Foundation in addressing this problem.
Dr Browning’s story has just that sort of lingering power. It’s what makes this book a great read.
“A Doctor In Africa” is, as the name might suggest, quite a straightforward book. Dr Andrew Browning tells his story, from Bowral boy to medical practitioner and visionary, serving and saving thousands of African women suffering from debilitating fistulas (holes formed during obstructed childbirth causing chronic leaking of urine and/or faeces. Women subsequently become outcasts, seemingly incurable, depressed and debilitated.)
But that last paragraph lifts the veil on why this book has the power to linger in the mind. Dr Browning’s achievements are remarkable. Faced with what seems like an overwhelming weight of suffering, limited resources, huge distances and the harshest of conditions, embedded in cultures vastly different to his own, Dr Browning has undertaken his life-changing work with determination, enterprise, incredible perseverance, a deep faith and an enduring love for - and delight in - his patients.
As the events of Dr Browning’s life unfold, a bigger story emerges. It is the power of a simple faith to see suffering and believe that God might have a part for us to play in serving, sharing, loving on His behalf. Seemingly simple childhood moments conspire, in the course of time, to transform lives and communities, bringing hope and healing to so many women in Africa. The scale of the challenge and the uncertainty is always enormous. Yet this is the story of taking the next small step in faith, then, when the moment comes, the one after that. Walking with Dr Browning as he takes those steps through the pages of this book is heartbreaking, inspiring, challenging, sobering.
Although Dr Andrew Browning is, in a literary sense, the hero of this book, he constantly deflects our attention. He admires and loves his colleagues, his patients, the African people, his supporters, his family and his God. His stories are infused with practical, deep, humble faith. Even if you don’t share his faith, you will come to understand what drives Christian service - individual and corporate - and the part that has played in healing so many women suffering from fistulas as well as establishing the means to avoid them happening in the first place.
Despite the gravity of Dr Browning’s work, his sense of humour runs through this book. He’s honest, humble - and he likes a laugh. It’s clearly part of what has made the journey possible and it’s what helps make this book so accessible and readable. (Well done to Patrick Kennedy, with whom Dr Browning collaborated and who managed to herd the abundance of stories into book form!)
I finished this book thinking about my own country and culture, my expectations, aspirations...the availability of healthcare, the wealth of the west, our responsibility to the majority world and the suffering and hardships faced by women, men and children through poverty, isolation and inadequate health care. As a Christian, I’m challenged to shape my faith into a compassionate life. And I’ve been made more aware of the plight of the tens of thousands of young women suffering fistulas across Africa - and of the vital work of The Barbara May Foundation in addressing this problem.
Dr Browning’s story has just that sort of lingering power. It’s what makes this book a great read.
November 2, 2021
This book isn't really about being a doctor in Africa....
This is a book about faith, sacrifice, bravery, perseverance, friendship, family, duty, humility, grit and blessing.
I have learnt lessons about what it means to trust in God as the source of everything you need day-to-day; what it means to put Him first, yourself last and others in between; and a glimpse what it means to set aside the comforts of a life in Australia to serve the most vulnerable living in horrific circumstances.
The first sentence in this review is my attempt at clickbait lol.
I have more thoughts about this but its midnight so I'll write more later
This is a book about faith, sacrifice, bravery, perseverance, friendship, family, duty, humility, grit and blessing.
I have learnt lessons about what it means to trust in God as the source of everything you need day-to-day; what it means to put Him first, yourself last and others in between; and a glimpse what it means to set aside the comforts of a life in Australia to serve the most vulnerable living in horrific circumstances.
The first sentence in this review is my attempt at clickbait lol.
I have more thoughts about this but its midnight so I'll write more later
August 21, 2021
I won’t lie - I’m a sucker for anything medical, set in the dusty streets of Africa.
This book turned out to be an incredible contrast between the Australian and African medical systems; the excessive and arrogant waste of one (throwing out instruments after taking out 2 stitches, or a cotton towel after a surgeon wipes their hands mid-surgery) and the careful waste less ingenuity of the other (reusing gauze, gloves and all medical equipment in the face of abject poverty).
But actually this book was about the stories of the women that Browning treated, the women who were ostracised and rejected by their communities because of fistulas, caused by days of obstructed labour and inadequate medical care. Their extraordinary joy, following that quick, life changing (knock a planet back into orbit, world-altering) surgery.
I was struck by Brownings deep love for the women of Africa and his thoughts on joy that sustains, a hope that is fixed on Jesus. It was also a crazy reminder of what God can do through prayer. Radical dependence on Him who provides.
So do I plan to move the Africa a few years after I graduate? 100%, just try and stop me
This book turned out to be an incredible contrast between the Australian and African medical systems; the excessive and arrogant waste of one (throwing out instruments after taking out 2 stitches, or a cotton towel after a surgeon wipes their hands mid-surgery) and the careful waste less ingenuity of the other (reusing gauze, gloves and all medical equipment in the face of abject poverty).
But actually this book was about the stories of the women that Browning treated, the women who were ostracised and rejected by their communities because of fistulas, caused by days of obstructed labour and inadequate medical care. Their extraordinary joy, following that quick, life changing (knock a planet back into orbit, world-altering) surgery.
I was struck by Brownings deep love for the women of Africa and his thoughts on joy that sustains, a hope that is fixed on Jesus. It was also a crazy reminder of what God can do through prayer. Radical dependence on Him who provides.
So do I plan to move the Africa a few years after I graduate? 100%, just try and stop me
May 12, 2022
A Doctor in Africa is an inspiring and intriguing book of contrasts (dare I say a tale or an adventure?). Dr Browning is an Australian doctor from Bowral, NSW, whose person and context is contrasted throughout the book with the beauty and harshness of the African landscape and culture. The book is full of the tales of war, suffering, hope, healing, redemption, ambition and trust. This is a book that truly get you out of your bubble, opens your eyes and confronts you with the realities of other lives and other places. Beautifully written, vivid imagery, the authors transport you to the places like the arid Afar Region in Ethiopia and zoom in on the people, the lives, the stories - both the sadness and suffering and the beauty and the joy. Although it is clear that many in Africa have much less then we do in Australia, it is also clear that they have much more of a different kind of thing. Resilience, character, tradition, hope, community and the list goes on.
August 1, 2021
As I'm not a follower of any religion, I found it fascinating to learn how funds are raised for worthy projects such as those that Andrew worked on. What a huge undertaking he and his wife have successfully carried out, both making their mark on the lives of countless suffering women. The building, the training/teaching, the thousands of operations, are all truly remarkable.
Yours has been a life full of learning, adjusting, adventure, and giving, Andrew. I admire your generosity, your warmth, your acceptance, your tolerance and your love for your fellow man.
Thanks for sharing it with all your readers. I feel sure everyone, like me, will be the richer for it.
Yours has been a life full of learning, adjusting, adventure, and giving, Andrew. I admire your generosity, your warmth, your acceptance, your tolerance and your love for your fellow man.
Thanks for sharing it with all your readers. I feel sure everyone, like me, will be the richer for it.
October 9, 2023
Stumbled across this audiobook in my local library collection - which was a delightful surprise! Loved listening to the story of Dr Andrew Browning and his heart for the women of Africa. Such an encouragement to hear of someone who takes the call of Christ to love others so seriously with their lives, and so clearly believes that he is worth it, and he is worth pointing others to!
(Although I loved the book, I found the narration itself a bit stilted)
(Although I loved the book, I found the narration itself a bit stilted)
November 11, 2021
An incredible book about an incredible man. Completely inspiring yet utterly tragic - with an aftertaste of hope. Dr Browning’s writing reads like he is speaking, which takes a moment to get used to, but once you settle in it is a warm and inviting mode.
June 19, 2023
An incredible story of faith, perseverance and pure joy. Alongside, a humble reminder of the stark difference in healthcare around the world.
April 3, 2025
Very preachy and not written in an interesting manner.
Accomplishments and how many people have been helped by his work and influence is very impressive though.
Accomplishments and how many people have been helped by his work and influence is very impressive though.
December 6, 2021
Amazing book. Couldn't stop reading it when I first started. Dr Browning's faith and work inspires me. God bless you for writing this book and for helping those women.
August 29, 2021
Dr Andrew Browning AM is a highly regarded expert in obstetric fistula surgery who has spent his life helping women in Africa.
This is a true story about an amazing doctor with strong religious beliefs performing amazing work and giving women back their lives.
I am not a religious person but I can understand how it can be a great support and provide hope even when it seems there aren’t any answers.
The author’s comments on waste & plastic packaging were very interesting.
Read this and be reminded how lucky most of us are, how much we take for granted and how little we need to be truly happy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review of this book.
This is a true story about an amazing doctor with strong religious beliefs performing amazing work and giving women back their lives.
I am not a religious person but I can understand how it can be a great support and provide hope even when it seems there aren’t any answers.
The author’s comments on waste & plastic packaging were very interesting.
Read this and be reminded how lucky most of us are, how much we take for granted and how little we need to be truly happy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review of this book.
June 18, 2021
The re-telling of his life and work felt a little disjointed at times, like it would be part way through a story / explanation and then it would change abruptly to another. However, there was obviously so much to tell and nobody could fault his work ethic, heart and the impact made. An amazing person /couple, risking his own health at times. What a change he’s made in the world!
One of the angles I liked was stories of ingenuity and resourcefulness in areas which lack a lot of what we take for granted. It left a lesson on how the West lives and how others do with less, but maybe have more in terms of humanity. It will make me re-think stresses in future.
One of the angles I liked was stories of ingenuity and resourcefulness in areas which lack a lot of what we take for granted. It left a lesson on how the West lives and how others do with less, but maybe have more in terms of humanity. It will make me re-think stresses in future.
June 7, 2021
Written from the heart and diverse experience in Africa. Awakens the unaware to what is happening in the poorest countries on earth and in this case to the women of Africa.
Beautifully written and enlightening.
Well done Andrew.
Every best wish for the future.
Val Perkins.
Beautifully written and enlightening.
Well done Andrew.
Every best wish for the future.
Val Perkins.
June 29, 2021
What a wonderful story of a selfless and meaningful life. Dr Andrew and his extended family have devoted their lives to help the underprivileged women in this vast region. We take safe birth for granted...we look forward to the arrival of our babies with confidence and joy. For the women Dr Andrew cares for, pregnancy and birth is a matter of life and death. Dr Andrew tells this story with great humility, warmth and optimism. It's clear he has formed a deep love for Africa and its people despite the challenges of distance, resources and reliable infrastructure. I thoroughly enjoyed this honest account of a world that is both brutal and beautiful.
January 17, 2024
Far too preachy, with constant harping about missionary work and prayer solving Africa's problems. Full on white saviour vibes.
Read Catherine Hamlin's book instead, same medical matter, but slightly less church-y and annoying.
Read Catherine Hamlin's book instead, same medical matter, but slightly less church-y and annoying.
November 5, 2021
Interesting insight in medical field in different parts of Africa.
October 19, 2022
Eye opening
September 28, 2023
This book flowed well, discussing Andrew’s hard work & determination to help women affected by obstetric fistulas. It was heart warming to hear the stories of women whose lives were improved. Better still, it was great to hear of the programs established to prevent fistulas.
The writing of this book gave glimpses of the challenges of the work undertaken in Africa.
Interesting to hear the different cultural norms & religious beliefs in different regions on Africa.
Despite the seriousness of the subject matter the writing of this book it was an enjoyable read. Lovely to hear about Andrew’s family involvement in his work & the great support he received from his wife & the effective team they made.
Highly recommend this book.
September 28, 2025
“Our work is not motivated by endless needs. It is motivated by the love of God for the world. It is Christ's love - a love unto death - that compels us and keeps us going through prayer and work, abiding in Him, the beginning and the end.”
January 5, 2025
Amazing work he does and has helped train so many wonderful people and he has blessed so many women to be healed
August 6, 2021
A passionate doctor from Australia works towards improving the health care system in Africa by providing treatment for the African women who suffered Fistula which resulted in the death of their babies. As he works to help them the demand grows and he establishes a foundation to raise funnds to establish clinics or maternity care units in various parts of Africa thereby saving many mothers and children. Later he comes back to Australia by handing over the leadership to the local health care professionals and raising fund for more hospitals in Africa. Great read!!
November 21, 2022
I found this book extremely interesting and inspirational. Having read about Elizabeth Hamblin and knowing of her works, it was now very interesting to hear Andrew’s story and also the influence of Elizabeth Hamblin on his life’s work. What wonderful work these people have done for the women of these poor African countries. The amazing work which, especially in the early days, was done with very basic equipment & resources. Andrew does give much praise to everyone working around him, at all levels.
Of interest, also, are comments on the use & re-use of resources in African hospitals. He goes on to comment on the relative waste, in Australia, of single use products & huge amounts of packaging around same. This wastage is both medical related & general,
I rate this book 4.75 stars
Of interest, also, are comments on the use & re-use of resources in African hospitals. He goes on to comment on the relative waste, in Australia, of single use products & huge amounts of packaging around same. This wastage is both medical related & general,
I rate this book 4.75 stars
October 21, 2021
I know the doctor is not a writer and this isn’t a particularly well written book but it is very interesting. I found the religious aspect a little over-stated. But he and his family/ team are exceptional people. The women of Africa are blessed to have his support.
July 14, 2022
A bit too jesus-ey
September 22, 2022
Great book. Challenging, adventurous but hopeful and joyful. Gives perspective.
April 19, 2024
A campaign on the horrors of fistula was the reason I signed up to worldwide charity CBM some years ago (2011, I think), so I was greatly interested to read this book by fistula surgeon Dr Andrew Browning.
Five stars for the content and the uplifting, hopeful tone buoyed by Dr Browning's Christian faith. All royalties for this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation, which is also reason enough to buy it.
The romance was sweet and helped give the narrative some structure. It was also inspiring to learn how Dr Browning's surgical experiments over time ended up allowing a greater percentage of fistula patients to be fully cured. I hesitate to criticise the writing style, as the author is a doctor rather than a writer. However I did find many of the anecdotes too short, and I admit to skimming the information on all the assistants and colleagues Dr Browning has had throughout the years (too many to keep track of). I also found Dr Browning's lack of any doubts or questioning of God's purpose a little hard to relate to. And perhaps he should have spelled out that the ultimate goal is for the local health workers to be trained up to do the surgeries, instead of relying on charity from foreign countries (but in my opinion that was implicit in the way he spoke about his local assistants).
One thing which stood out to me was our extremely wasteful Western medical system. I was unaware that our hospitals would throw out steel surgical scissors after a single use, as buying new ones is cheaper than sterilising and reusing them! Of course in Africa, medical supplies are so hard to come by that they reuse everything they have.
I also like this quote towards the end:
"Sure, Western culture has brought unimaginable wealth, safety and comfort but for many it's come at the expense of being human, of being grateful, thankful and joyful - things which my friends in Africa do so well".
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with fistulas, making them unable to leave their homes. Dr Browning has completed 7,000 fistula operations and trained many doctors, and helped establish good maternal care in many African countries (which can prevent fistula from occurring in the first place). His story is definitely worth a read.
Five stars for the content and the uplifting, hopeful tone buoyed by Dr Browning's Christian faith. All royalties for this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation, which is also reason enough to buy it.
The romance was sweet and helped give the narrative some structure. It was also inspiring to learn how Dr Browning's surgical experiments over time ended up allowing a greater percentage of fistula patients to be fully cured. I hesitate to criticise the writing style, as the author is a doctor rather than a writer. However I did find many of the anecdotes too short, and I admit to skimming the information on all the assistants and colleagues Dr Browning has had throughout the years (too many to keep track of). I also found Dr Browning's lack of any doubts or questioning of God's purpose a little hard to relate to. And perhaps he should have spelled out that the ultimate goal is for the local health workers to be trained up to do the surgeries, instead of relying on charity from foreign countries (but in my opinion that was implicit in the way he spoke about his local assistants).
One thing which stood out to me was our extremely wasteful Western medical system. I was unaware that our hospitals would throw out steel surgical scissors after a single use, as buying new ones is cheaper than sterilising and reusing them! Of course in Africa, medical supplies are so hard to come by that they reuse everything they have.
I also like this quote towards the end:
"Sure, Western culture has brought unimaginable wealth, safety and comfort but for many it's come at the expense of being human, of being grateful, thankful and joyful - things which my friends in Africa do so well".
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with fistulas, making them unable to leave their homes. Dr Browning has completed 7,000 fistula operations and trained many doctors, and helped establish good maternal care in many African countries (which can prevent fistula from occurring in the first place). His story is definitely worth a read.
January 5, 2026
A movie should be made out of this book! A Doctor in Africa is a profoundly moving and quietly powerful account of medicine practised at its most humane. Andrew Browning offers the reader an unflinching insight into the lives of African women afflicted by obstetric fistula - women who have endured prolonged labour, social abandonment, and unspeakable physical suffering, often in silence and shame. Browning writes with clarity and compassion, allowing the women’s stories to emerge with dignity rather than sentimentality, and in doing so exposes a medical condition that is as much a social injustice as it is a clinical tragedy.
At the heart of the book lies the transformative power of surgery, not merely as a technical intervention but as a restoration of personhood. The missions and charities supporting this work appear nothing short of providential, offering life-changing operations that return continence, health, and hope to women long excluded from their communities. Browning makes clear, however, that surgery alone is not the cure; education, advocacy, and cultural understanding are equally vital in preventing future suffering. His respect for local customs, even when they present profound challenges, is a mark of the book’s moral seriousness.
What elevates A Doctor in Africa beyond a medical memoir is Browning himself. Working in extreme heat, dust, and chronic shortages of equipment, he perseveres with a humility that never veers into self-congratulation. The hardships are presented matter-of-factly, as part of the cost of service rather than evidence of heroism. Yet it is impossible not to recognise the quiet heroism in his tireless commitment to women whom the world has largely forgotten.
This is a sobering, necessary book - deeply unsettling at times, yet ultimately hopeful. It reminds the reader that compassion, when paired with skill and perseverance, can alter the course of individual lives and, incrementally, the fabric of entire communities. A Doctor in Africa lingers long after the final page, a testament to what can be achieved when medicine is guided by conscience as much as by competence.
At the heart of the book lies the transformative power of surgery, not merely as a technical intervention but as a restoration of personhood. The missions and charities supporting this work appear nothing short of providential, offering life-changing operations that return continence, health, and hope to women long excluded from their communities. Browning makes clear, however, that surgery alone is not the cure; education, advocacy, and cultural understanding are equally vital in preventing future suffering. His respect for local customs, even when they present profound challenges, is a mark of the book’s moral seriousness.
What elevates A Doctor in Africa beyond a medical memoir is Browning himself. Working in extreme heat, dust, and chronic shortages of equipment, he perseveres with a humility that never veers into self-congratulation. The hardships are presented matter-of-factly, as part of the cost of service rather than evidence of heroism. Yet it is impossible not to recognise the quiet heroism in his tireless commitment to women whom the world has largely forgotten.
This is a sobering, necessary book - deeply unsettling at times, yet ultimately hopeful. It reminds the reader that compassion, when paired with skill and perseverance, can alter the course of individual lives and, incrementally, the fabric of entire communities. A Doctor in Africa lingers long after the final page, a testament to what can be achieved when medicine is guided by conscience as much as by competence.
January 2, 2022
An inspirational way to start the New Year.
Andrew Browning spent almost 2 decades living and working in Africa. His passion was to treat and prevent fistula complications in women giving birth. He moved to different African countries as needs came to light. He struggled to find necessary resources and worked in very sparse conditions but never gave up. He established clinics and hospitals in many locations, training locals - many of whom were recovered patients.
He now lives back in Australia but visits African hospitals a few times each year to operate and train doctors in obstetrics and fistula surgery techniques.
A truly amazing human being.
The Australian doctor saving the lives and dignity of thousands of women in Africa, one surgery at a time.
From Ethiopia to Sierra Leone, Tanzania to Togo, Dr Andrew Browning has been helping women affected by obstetric fistulas - a debilitating condition resulting from obstructed childbirth - for nearly two decades. Andrew began his African career in the 1990s working with the late Dr Catherine Hamlin and since then has started the Barbara May Foundation, which has built hospitals, trained staff and established programs to heal fistulas and also prevent them from occurring around Africa in the world's most disadvantaged women.
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with obstetric fistulas. They are often made outcasts in their own community, unable to leave their homes and left with little prospect of a happy, fulfilling life. Andrew's operations, and the spread of fistula-skilled surgeons he is training across the continent, don't just relieve the emotional and physical pain of the women affected, but give them hope and a future.
A Doctor in Africa is the uplifting story of Andrew's life, from the challenges faced along the way to the stories of the women whose lives he has forever changed.
All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation.
Andrew Browning spent almost 2 decades living and working in Africa. His passion was to treat and prevent fistula complications in women giving birth. He moved to different African countries as needs came to light. He struggled to find necessary resources and worked in very sparse conditions but never gave up. He established clinics and hospitals in many locations, training locals - many of whom were recovered patients.
He now lives back in Australia but visits African hospitals a few times each year to operate and train doctors in obstetrics and fistula surgery techniques.
A truly amazing human being.
The Australian doctor saving the lives and dignity of thousands of women in Africa, one surgery at a time.
From Ethiopia to Sierra Leone, Tanzania to Togo, Dr Andrew Browning has been helping women affected by obstetric fistulas - a debilitating condition resulting from obstructed childbirth - for nearly two decades. Andrew began his African career in the 1990s working with the late Dr Catherine Hamlin and since then has started the Barbara May Foundation, which has built hospitals, trained staff and established programs to heal fistulas and also prevent them from occurring around Africa in the world's most disadvantaged women.
Two million African women are estimated to be suffering with obstetric fistulas. They are often made outcasts in their own community, unable to leave their homes and left with little prospect of a happy, fulfilling life. Andrew's operations, and the spread of fistula-skilled surgeons he is training across the continent, don't just relieve the emotional and physical pain of the women affected, but give them hope and a future.
A Doctor in Africa is the uplifting story of Andrew's life, from the challenges faced along the way to the stories of the women whose lives he has forever changed.
All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Barbara May Foundation.
November 17, 2022
A Doctor in Africa
is a skilfully written, informative, engaging story about the exceptional life of Dr Andrew Browning.
The story expertly presents the details of Andrew's young years, the decision making years working in Ethiopia with Dr Catherine Hamlyn, the arduous, self-sacrificing years of working to relieve the suffering of thousands of women in multiple regions of Africa and his extraordinary 'can do' attitude in all endeavours relating to the development of the hospitals, schools and medical centres which were necessary adjuncts to the core 'business' of fistula correction and prevention.
Andrew has the assistance in his humanitarian endeavours of a multitude of people just like himself - God-fearing, resourceful, compassionate, optimistic, hard-working - every admirable trait you can name. Andrew’s absolute faith in Jesus and his implicit belief in the power of prayer have meant that, together with like-minded, generous family members, friends and supporters from every corner of the globe, many projects which seem unlikely to succeed due to the unavailability of land or finance, do in fact come to fruition.
I was only disappointed with one aspect of this otherwise remarkable story - the overly dark map of the African continent which made it difficult to quickly locate the countries and areas mentioned in the book. With an up-to-date map of Africa by your side whilst reading you will be able to enjoy the story fully.
Highly recommended.
The story expertly presents the details of Andrew's young years, the decision making years working in Ethiopia with Dr Catherine Hamlyn, the arduous, self-sacrificing years of working to relieve the suffering of thousands of women in multiple regions of Africa and his extraordinary 'can do' attitude in all endeavours relating to the development of the hospitals, schools and medical centres which were necessary adjuncts to the core 'business' of fistula correction and prevention.
Andrew has the assistance in his humanitarian endeavours of a multitude of people just like himself - God-fearing, resourceful, compassionate, optimistic, hard-working - every admirable trait you can name. Andrew’s absolute faith in Jesus and his implicit belief in the power of prayer have meant that, together with like-minded, generous family members, friends and supporters from every corner of the globe, many projects which seem unlikely to succeed due to the unavailability of land or finance, do in fact come to fruition.
I was only disappointed with one aspect of this otherwise remarkable story - the overly dark map of the African continent which made it difficult to quickly locate the countries and areas mentioned in the book. With an up-to-date map of Africa by your side whilst reading you will be able to enjoy the story fully.
Highly recommended.
December 12, 2024
This is an amazing book chronicling Andrew's work of 17 years and counting in Africa, treating and preventing fistula. Fistula is a complication of childbirth where, without the access to caesarean when births are obstructed, surrounding tissues are destroyed and women leak urine +/- faeces constantly, and are ostracised from their communities. Andrew's model of building hospitals, training local staff, and moving onto a new need has been highly effective. Andrew's faith in Jesus shines through in his work, motivated by God's love for all, and his call to serve. I read this after hearing Andrew speak and I was struck by his humility and the way that he adorns the gospel of Christ rather than his own work. Highly recommend.
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