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Sifelani Tsiko
Innovations Editor
Zimbabwe will this week host the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) Conference to help
share experiences in the field of surgery and map out strategies to strengthen surgical practice on the continent.
Veteran cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon and president of the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe Dr Wilfred Muteweye told The
Herald that the country will be hosting the annual conference which will also mark the 25th anniversary of COSESCA.
“We are thrilled to announce that this week, Harare will play host to a significant gathering of surgeons from various disciplines
from East, Central, and Southern Africa,” he said.
“This conference, organised by COSECSA, is being proudly hosted by the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe (SSZ).”
This event, he said, will being supported by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the Government.
“As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of COSECSA, we are delighted that Zimbabwe was chosen to host such a prestigious
event,” Dr Muteweye said.
Recognising the significant skills gap in the surgical field, the
health ministers from East, Central, and Southern African nations, including Zimbabwe, came together to pool resources and
expertise to address this critical challenge.
Since its founding in 1999, COSECSA has made an incredible impact by training and certifying over 900 surgical specialists
across Africa.
“In Zimbabwe, we have 205 surgeons who hold the distinguished COSECSA fellowship certification,” Dr Muteweye said.
“Thanks to COSECSA, we have successfully trained specialist surgeons in crucial areas that were previously scarcely manned,
such as orthopedic surgery, pediatric surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and more. Today, we
boast an array of specialists that are enhancing our healthcare system.”
In 1999, Zimbabwe had only five orthopedic surgeons.
“Today we have an astounding 49, with around 42 trained through COSECSA. This remarkable increase means that
communities in Bindura, Mutare, Masvingo, Chinhoyi, and Gweru now have access to orthopedic specialist services,
eliminating the need for patients to travel to Harare or Bulawayo,” Dr Muteweye said.
The conference kicked off with a certification examination for surgeons who have been undergoing training.
The exams started on Monday and will end today. This will be followed by a graduation ceremony and the silver jubilee
celebrations on December 4.
“We will then hold meetings on the 5th and 6th of December. We anticipate a vibrant turn-out of over 600 foreign delegates.
The delegates are not just from Africa but are also coming from the UK, USA and Australia,” he said.
“This conference presents a fantastic opportunity for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and celebrating the incredible
achievements within the surgical community.”
COSECSA is an independent body that fosters postgraduate education in surgery and provides surgical training throughout
East, Central and Southern Africa.
COSECSA has 14 full members (including Botswana, Namibia, Sudan and South Sudan)
Online Reporter