Uganda: Surgeons Establish

4 February 2002
New Vision (Kampala)
By Charles Wendo

SURGEONS in eastern, central and southern Africa have formed a professional body to provide hands-on training in surgery. The move is expected to avert the severe shortage of surgeons in the region.

The newly formed College of Surgeons of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) has its head office at the commonwealth regional health office in Arusha, Tanzania. Member countries include Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Prof. Francis Omaswa, President of COSECSA, said the organisation would begin admitting candidates this year. Training is expected to take four years.

Omaswa said anybody with a first degree in human medicine qualifies to join the training, but initial priority will be given to those who have specialised in surgery.

Uganda has about 70 surgeons but needs at least 500. "In Uganda we should have at least two surgeons in every district hospital," he said.

Copyright © 2002 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 800 reports a day from more than 140 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.