I Came to India with Fear. I Am Going Home with My Life Back." — Andrew's Prostate Cancer Story from Tanzania

Andrew's Story: From Tanzania to India, and Back Home Cancer-Free

Andrew John Mganga is 67 years old and lives in Tanzania. He is the kind of man who does not make a fuss. When he first noticed he was having trouble urinating, he waited. He managed. He told himself it was just age. But when a routine PSA test came back elevated — and then elevated again — and a biopsy confirmed what he had quietly feared for months, he could no longer manage alone.

The diagnosis was carcinoma of the prostate. Not early-stage, easy-to-watch. Gleason Grade Group III. The cancer had declared itself, and it needed to be dealt with properly. His doctors in Tanzania had already treated him twice before — a TURP procedure in September 2024 for an enlarged prostate, and a further urethral procedure in May 2025. He was not new to hospitals. But what he needed now — a full robotic radical prostatectomy, with bilateral lymph node dissection, done with the precision that gives a 67-year-old man his best chance at a full life afterwards — was not something he could get at home.

That is when his family found GAF Healthcare. "I did not know India was an option," he said later. "I thought surgery like this only happened in Europe or America. My children did the research. They said, Papa, there is a place."

The Journey from Tanzania to India

Andrew and his family sent his medical records to GAF Healthcare — his biopsy report, his PET-CT scan results, his MRI, his PSA history going back over a year. Within 24 hours they had a response. The clinical team reviewed everything, confirmed that he was a suitable candidate for robotic radical prostatectomy, and recommended Dr. Ketan Pai, a senior urologist specialising in exactly this procedure.

A video consultation was arranged. Andrew spoke directly with Dr. Pai, who reviewed the imaging, explained the da Vinci robotic approach in plain language, and answered every question the family had. The PET-CT was reassuring: the cancer was localised to the prostate. No evidence of spread elsewhere in the body. A complete surgical removal gave Andrew a strong chance of a cure.

For patients travelling to India from Tanzania, the logistics can feel overwhelming. The visa, the flights, the hospital admission, the accommodation for the family member who travels with you. GAF Healthcare handled the hospital invitation letter, guided the family through the e-Medical Visa application, and had a coordinator waiting at the airport when Andrew landed. "From the moment we arrived," his daughter said, "someone was always there. We never felt lost."

The Surgery: Precise, Robotic, Uneventful

Andrew was admitted on 17 April 2026. The pre-operative workup — imaging review, anaesthesia assessment, physician fitness clearance — was completed the same day. Surgery was scheduled for the following morning.

On 18 April, Dr. Ketan Pai performed the robotic radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci Si robotic system — a four-arm robotic platform that allows surgeons to operate through small keyhole ports rather than a large open incision. The procedure involved a preliminary cystoscopy and internal urethrotomy to address a stricture Andrew had from his previous procedures, followed by the full prostatectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. The surgery was performed with Andrew in a steep Trendelenburg position, with CO2 pneumoperitoneum, and carried out entirely under robotic guidance. The prostate was removed intact, placed in a specimen bag, and sent for histopathological examination. The urethrovesical anastomosis — where the bladder is reconnected to the urethra — was completed with two continuous suture lines, tested, and found watertight.

None of that complexity showed on Andrew's face when he woke up. "I thought I would feel terrible," he admitted. "But the pain was much less than I expected. They told me the robot means smaller cuts. I believed them when I saw how I felt."

Recovery: Walking the Next Day

After surgery, Andrew was monitored in the ICU overnight. His blood pressure needed careful management — he has hypertension, and the surgical stress required some adjustment of his medication. But his ICU stay was uneventful, and by the following morning he was moved to the ward. By day one post-surgery, he was already walking — a milestone that surprises many patients after major cancer surgery, but one that the robotic approach makes consistently achievable.

He progressed from sips of water to liquids to a soft diet over the following days. The drain was managed and then removed. His observations remained stable throughout. Five days after admission — on 22 April 2026 — Andrew was declared fit for discharge. Haemodynamically stable. Afebrile. Ambulant. He went home with a catheter in place for a short period while the urethral anastomosis healed completely, a supply of medications, and a follow-up appointment already booked with Dr. Pai.

The photograph was taken the day of his discharge. He is in his hospital bed, giving a thumbs up with the biggest smile in the room, surrounded by the nurses and coordinators who had cared for him all week. His daughter said he insisted on taking it. "He wanted to show people back home that it is possible. That you do not have to be afraid."

What Andrew's Case Means for Tanzanian Patients

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men across sub-Saharan Africa, and Tanzania is no exception. The challenge for Tanzanian men is not only the diagnosis — it is the access. Robotic radical prostatectomy, which offers the best surgical outcomes in terms of cancer control, urinary continence and sexual function preservation, is simply not available in Tanzania today. Men who need it face a choice: manage it conservatively at home, travel to South Africa or Kenya at significant cost, or find another way. Our complete guide to prostate cancer treatment in India for international patients covers every option available — surgery, radiation, hormone therapy — and how to access them.

India offers that other way. The robotic surgery technology available at leading Indian hospitals is the same da Vinci platform used in the United States and Europe. The surgeons who operate it have performed hundreds to thousands of robotic prostatectomies. And the cost — including flights, hospital, accommodation and everything in between — is a fraction of what the same treatment would cost in the West. For many Tanzanian families, India is not just an option. It is the only realistic path to curative cancer treatment.

Patients travel to India from across Tanzania — from Dar es Salaam, from Arusha, from Mwanza, from Dodoma. GAF Healthcare has facilitated treatment for patients from all of these cities, and the process is the same wherever you are starting from: share your medical records, receive a clinical review and recommendation, arrange a video consultation with your surgeon, apply for your medical visa, and travel. From first contact to surgery can be as little as three to four weeks for a case that is ready to operate. Andrew is not the first Tanzanian patient to make this journey — read the story of another Tanzanian patient who travelled to India for HoLEP surgery and spine treatment at Fortis Faridabad.

In Andrew's Own Words

We asked Andrew, just before he was discharged, if he had a message for other Tanzanian men who might be facing the same diagnosis and the same fear of travelling abroad for treatment.

He did not hesitate.

About Robotic Radical Prostatectomy in India

Robotic radical prostatectomy is the surgical gold standard for localised prostate cancer. Using the da Vinci robotic system, the surgeon operates through small keyhole incisions with magnified 3D vision and instruments that move with greater precision and range of motion than the human hand alone. The advantages over open surgery are significant — less blood loss, less post-operative pain, shorter hospital stay, and faster return to normal urinary function and daily activity.

For men with Gleason Grade Group III disease — as Andrew had — complete surgical removal of the prostate with clear margins is the treatment most likely to be curative. The addition of bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, which was also performed in Andrew's case, allows the surgical team to assess whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, which is important for planning any further treatment that may be needed after surgery.

India has some of the most experienced robotic urologists in the world, performing this procedure at volumes that match or exceed those at leading Western cancer centres — at a fraction of the cost. For a full breakdown of what prostate cancer treatment costs in India — including robotic surgery, radiation and hormonal therapy — see our prostate cancer treatment cost guide for international patients. For Tanzanian patients considering this treatment, full information on the process and what to expect is available through GAF Healthcare's Tanzania patient guide for treatment in India.

Andrew's Treatment at a Glance