63rd Annual Congress of the West African College of Surgeons: improving the state of practices in health facilities

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Extract from the article: Togo hosted the 63rd Congress of the West African College of Surgeons (COAC) from 20 to 24 March 2023. The theme chosen was: « Surgical education and training in West Africa: Impact of Covid-19 on surgical education ». This scientific meeting is a fr

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Togo hosted the 63rd Congress of the West African College of Surgeons (COAC) from 20 to 24 March 2023. The theme chosen was: « Surgical education and training in West Africa: Impact of Covid-19 on surgical education ». This scientific meeting is a framework for the exchange of experiences and good practices. It provided an opportunity to discuss the problems that undermine the sector and to discuss the challenges to be met in order to improve the state of practices in health facilities.  In recognition of his efforts for health, the Head of State, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, was invested as the patron of the 63rd conference, through an award presented to the Minister in charge of Health, Prof. Moustafa Mijiyawa.

A thousand surgeons, including the West African College of Surgery (COAC) - in English WACS - took part in this 63rd annual conference, which is held for the fourth time in Togo, after the last edition in 2013.  From training sessions to round tables on public health issues related to surgical training and access to essential care, this medical forum is a real forum for these health professionals to discuss their daily difficulties and to examine the new challenges that have arisen with the emergence of Covid-19.

The five days of exchanges have allowed lessons to be learned in order to strengthen the resilience of health systems and to be better prepared for pandemics and health emergencies. According to the chairman of the local organising committee, Prof. Boyodi Tchangaï, the objective is to enable surgeons to be better equipped in the management of ailments and to raise their level of competence in West Africa, while creating opportunities for collaboration. 

Opening the proceedings, the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Prof. Moustafa Mijiyawa, said that the needs in this discipline are dominated by trauma related to road accidents, obstetric surgery, cervical and prostate cancer and, of course, abdominal emergencies. « It is in response to this vast undertaking that the government is making efforts to build new facilities, rehabilitate and equip existing ones, train and recruit health workers, bring the population closer to eminent experts and carry out upstream actions to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases, such as that against human papilloma virus and viral hepatitis B », said Prof. Mijiyawa.

For the World Health Organisation (WHO) resident representative in Togo, Dr Fatoumata Binta Diallo, the use of digital technologies and the development of virtual training programmes and distance learning platforms must also be an answer to the challenges of surgery. In the same vein, the president of WACS, Prof. Peter Donkor, insisted on the development of an African vision for the promotion of surgery and its practitioners in the sub-region, in order to avoid the brain drain.

West Africa has only one surgeon per 45,000 people. The WHO recommends one surgeon for every 5000 people.

Jean ELI