Prof. Pankaj Jani has been in practice for 30 years and he holds a MBChB and MMed (Surgery) from
the University of Nairobi, FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons. He has formerly worked at New
Nyanza Provincial Hospital, Busia District Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, Glasgow Royal
Infirmary and the University of Nairobi. He is the Secretary General of COSECSA. Pankaj Jani will talk
about the foundations, achievements and challenges ahead for COSECSA.
Dr.
Robert
Lane
is
a
retired
colorectal
surgeon,
writer
and
mentor.
For
12
years,
on
behalf
of
the
Association
of
Surgeons
of
Great
Britain
&
Ireland
(ASGBI),
he
has
organized
basic
surgical
skills
courses
and
the
management
of
surgical
emergencies
for
surgeons
and
clinical
officers
in
sub-‐ Saharan
Africa.
Dr.
Lane
was
past
president
of
the
Association
of
Surgeons
of
Great
Britain
&
Ireland
(ASGBI)
at
the
Royal
Society
of
Medicine.
He
is
Secretary
General
of
the
International
Federation
of
Surgical
Colleges
(IFSC),
Surgical
Advisor
to
The
Tropical
Health
&
Education
Trust
(THET)
and
co-‐
founder
of
the
International
Collaboration
of
Essential
Surgery.
He
will
do
the
second
part
of
the
presentation
about
development,
execution
and
outcomes
from
running
a
new
surgical
training
course
for
COSECSA
members
There is a desperate shortage of surgically trained personnel in the ECSA Region, particularly in rural areas where the mortality from injury, obstructed labour, neglected surgical emergencies (such as peritonitis, obstructed bowel and burns) is totally unacceptable in this day and age, especially when prompt treatment could be lifesaving.
It was recognised over many year that the quality and quantity of surgical services available to the people of the ECSA Region was inadequate. Training of specialist surgeons in the Region was restricted to the M. Med Surgery Programmes (or equivalent) in University Teaching Hospitals with only limited numbers and a variable training programme.
The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa was founded in 1999 as an independent body to formulate a common surgical training programme and surgical qualifications alongside the University Teaching Hospital Programmes. These could be undertaken in accredited training institutions in central as well as peripheral hospitals in the Region with a common examination and the award of an internationally recognised Fellowship for specialist surgeons (FCS) and Membership for surgically trained doctors (MCS).
The College has come a long way over the past 16 years and has been supported by Johnson & Johnson, the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and in Ireland together with Irish Aid.
This year 75 candidates have registered for the MCS and 44 for the FCS Programmes. There are now 74 accredited training hospitals, 857 Members and Fellows and 118 accredited Trainers.
This presentation outlines the development of training programmes that have led to this success and also our plans for the future.