BY: MOHAMED SAHR
At the end of the 64th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference hosted at the Freetown International Conference Centre on Thursday 7th March 2024, a total of 503 new surgeons graduated into the workforce of West African medical services.
The program demonstrated Sierra Leone’s commitment, collaboration, training and knowledge sharing opportunity to provide accessible and affordable surgical services across the West Africa region.
Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health acknowledged the efforts of the newly graduates in order to attain that prestigious success. He encouraged them to take ownership of what they have been longing for and ensure to provide quality and surgical care in West Africa. Dr. Demby spoke to the leadership of West Africa College of Surgeons to create an enabling environment for the cohorts to be retained and stayed in their countries.
Professor Ezeome Emmanuel, President of West Africa College of Surgeons expressed appreciation and hospitality to the Government of Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health for affording them the lion share in order to have a fruitful event.
An increasing number of surgical specialists went through various faculty exams, including post fellowship graduates, fellows in anaesthesia, individuals in the faculty of Gynaecology, dental surgeons, prosthetic surgeons among others.
Professor Ezeome Emmanuel called on partners and sister colleges to redouble their efforts to providing surgical training for more surgeons. According to him, he said standards would not be compromised or lowered especially in the training and mentorship of young surgeons in West Africa.
Professor Ezeome Emmanuel emphasized how the brain-drain phenomenon has hindered their performance over the past years. “We are committed to extend our activities in far-reached areas,” Prof. Ezeome Emmanuel said.
Among the list of inducted individuals, Sierra Leone home grown Dr. Mustapha Kabba and Dr. Constance Cummings-John were part of the inducted fellows to be added into folds of West Africa College of Surgeons.
Dr. Mustapha Kabba’s fellowship came through an election conducted by other sister colleges. “This achievement serves as a motivation for the young surgeons to life by,” he added.
