Experts from across the surgical landscape in West Africa gathered at the Bintumani Conference Center in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, for this year’s 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS). The weeklong activity was formally declared open by Vice President, Dr. Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh, on Monday. This memorable event, hosted by Sierra Leone for a record five times, brought together over 500 top surgeons from across West Africa to deliberate on ways to advance surgical capacity, educate and train local staff in different disciplines within the surgical spectrum.
The 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) 2024 on Monday kicked off at the Bintumani Conference Center in Freetown.
At the pivot of this year’s gathering was the important theme: “access to safe and affordable surgical and anesthetic care in West Africa.” The theme served as a wakeup call to address the pressing surgical gaps and deal with the current disparities that continue to exist in the healthcare ecosystem across the region.
Research indicates that there is an ever-increasing gap in quality of surgical, obstetric and anesthesia care particularly in middle and low-income countries with about 5 billion people globally lacking in safe and affordable surgical care.
In Africa, the number of surgeons per capita in many African countries is extremely low. It is estimated that per population of 100,000 residents, Africa accounts for the lowest numbers of specialist surgeons, anesthetists, and obstetricians in the world compared to Europe.
In Sierra Leone, the surgical landscape is far more constricted than it is in many other countries. The country currently has 15 resident surgeons, including six general, two orthopedic, and two urology surgeons serving a population of about eight million people. This means that Sierra Leone only has 0.0625 general surgeons per 100,000 persons. These figures are stark reminder of the increasing demand for timely surgical services with an even more worrying trend for specialized surgical fields including pediatrics and neurosurgery.
Sierra Leone’s transformative healthcare agenda is premised on the ambitious target of achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Access to quality and affordable surgery is a major precursor for actualizing this goal. This is why Vice President Juldeh Jalloh, described the gaps inherent in the country’s surgical sector as unacceptable.
The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone officially declared this year’s WACS Conference open on Monday.
“Sierra Leone grapples with an alarming 91% unmet surgical needs. This is unacceptably high and we call for urgent collaboration to address this critical problem,” Dr. Juldeh Jalloh pointed out.
The Vice President assured all of the government’s commitment and vowed to expand the surgical space so that every Sierra Leonean, irrespective of income or social status, can access quality surgical services.
On his part, the Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby, pronounced the gathering as critical for collaboration, knowledge exchange and innovation in the healthcare field particularly in surgery and science within the West African region. Minister Demby highlighted the government’s unwavering determination to make healthcare, including surgeries, affordable and accessible for all.
“With the clear vision, leadership and directions from President Bio, Sierra Leone is re-emerging health care with a distinct focus on Universal Health Coverage,” the Minister said. He went on;
Minister of Health of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Austin Demby, delivered a statement at the opening of the 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) 2024 that ended on Thursday 7th March, 2024.
“Sierra Leone, like its counterparts in West Africa, faces numerous challenges in healthcare delivery particularly in the field of surgery. Limited resources, infrastructure gaps and a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals have hindered the country’s ability to provide timely and quality surgical care for all who need it.”
Despite these challenges, the country still remains steadfast in its determination to improve surgical services and ensure the wellbeing of all citizens. Active planning to engage in the adaptation and implementation of the National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Plan is underway to ensure equitable access to surgical care across the nation.
It is hoped that this plan will help to significantly reduce the wait time and increase the availability of essential surgical equipment and supplies in healthcare facilities nationwide. The Minister is acutely aware of the healthcare challenges Sierra Leoneans face, but he remains optimistic that there are opportunities to take advantage of technological improvements and exchange prospects in forums like the just concluded WACS 2024 Conference to get the country to where it wants to be.
MoH’s Dr. Mustapha Kabba, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, was of the Sierra Leoneans who was admitted as a new fellow.
Dr. Demby echoed Vice President Juldeh’s call for an all-inclusive solution to deal with the current surgical challenges inherent in the health sector.
“Surgery plays a critical role in health care delivery addressing a wide range of medical conditions and improving the quality of life for countless citizens. It is imperative that we work together to expand access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care particularly in underserved communities.”
The country is making huge investments in the surgical workforce through training and personal development, implementing rigorous standards and protocols for surgical procedures.
“By prioritizing quality and safety, we can improve patient outcomes and build trust in our healthcare system. We must also prioritize innovation and research,” Dr. Demby added.
Earlier, the outreach team of WACS arrived in Sierra Leone a week prior to the conference to perform free surgeries. In just one week, this outreach team was able to carry out over 100 different surgical procedures successfully.
A cross section of the WACS surgical team carrying out a procedure on a patient. The team successfully performed over 100 free surgeries within a week.
This is why the Minister of Health is very grateful to WACS for their contributions to improving healthcare in Sierra Leone and proud that the conference ended on high note with two Sierra Leoneans being admitted as new fellows.