The conference, scheduled to take place from February 19 to 28, is organized by the Rwanda Ministry of Health, Operation Smile, the University of Rwanda, and the Rwanda Surgical Society.
Pre-conference workshops will be held from February 19 to 23, with the main conference slated for February 24 to 28 at the Kigali Serena Hotel.
Speaking at a pre-conference event in Kigali on Friday, February 7, Professor Faustin Ntirenganya, Chair of Surgery at the University of Rwanda and President of the Rwanda Surgical Society, said the conference provides stakeholders with a unique platform to address critical gaps in surgical care.
'This conference is a pivotal opportunity to bring together academicians, policymakers, and practitioners to analyze surgical gaps in Africa and establish a unified agenda for addressing them," Prof. Ntirenganya told the media.
"We aim to learn from each other, share best practices, and exchange experiences. Rwanda can showcase its progress, while also learning from other countries to accelerate improvements," he added.
Africa faces a dire shortage of surgical professionals. The continent currently has only 0.5 surgeons and 0.1 anaesthetists per 100,000 peopleâ€"far below global recommendations.
According to Prof. Ntirenganya, Rwanda is also affected, with only three surgical, obstetric, and anaesthesia providers per 100,000 people, while the recommended standard is 20.
Due to this shortage, the available surgeons can perform only a third of the required surgical volume, leaving many patients waiting longer for essential procedures.
Despite the challenges, Prof. Ntirenganya emphasized that Rwanda has made progress, including launching the first National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plan (NSOAP) in 2018. However, more investment in training and infrastructure is needed.
The upcoming conference's goal is to expand Africa's surgical workforce, ensuring that every district hospital has a qualified surgeon.
Rwanda currently has only 162 surgeons across all specialities, with just five plastic surgeons specializing in cleft surgery.
Organizations like Operation Smile are actively working to address this shortage by enhancing surgical training and infrastructure.
Andrew Karima, Country Manager for Operation Smile Rwanda, described their contributions, noting, 'Every surgery we conduct is also a teaching opportunity. Through our hub-and-spoke model, we are expanding access to care while simultaneously strengthening the healthcare system. We have completed surgical projects in hospitals across Rwanda and are committed to ensuring that every patient, no matter where they are, can receive the care they need.'
Operation Smile provides approximately 180 free cleft surgeries annually in Rwanda and has played a critical role in repairing cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial differences in the country and around the world.
The global charity organization, founded in 1982, is also collaborating with the Ministry of Health to integrate critical care services into surgical programs, ensuring better post-operative care for patients.
"We have strengthened our partnership with the Ministry of Health. We are now incorporating critical care, aligning our services with High Dependency Units (HDU) and Intensive Care Units (ICU). This ensures that if surgery doesn't go as expected, the patient receives appropriate post-operative care," he disclosed.
Karima emphasized that their work extends beyond Rwanda, stating, 'If our model has worked here, it can work in Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, and beyond.'
The inaugural Pan-African Surgical Conference, themed 'Building Resilient and Sustainable Surgical Services in Africa', will feature policy discussions, research presentations, and networking opportunities.
Experts from across the continent will share best practices and innovations aimed at closing the surgical care gap in resource-limited settings. Key objectives include reinforcing surgical training programs, expanding policy support for surgical workforce development, and strengthening regional surgical networks.
With participation from global surgery policy experts, medical professionals, government officials, and advocacy groups, the conference is expected to yield actionable recommendations that will shape the future of surgical care in Africa, with Rwanda playing a central role.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
