Hawassa, Ethiopia Surgical Training Collaborative

In December 2017, Hawassa University was chosen as the pilot site for the ACS Surgical Training Collaborative, a joint initiative between the ACS, the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and 13 US-based institutions that have surgical faculty engaged in global health. Since the initial development of the hub and the first work plan meeting in July 2018, the hub has accomplished the following initiatives.

ATLS Promulgation

In a collaborative effort, the ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.) and the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) joined forces with Ethiopian institutions, including the Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, the Federal Republic of Ethiopian Ministry of Health, and the Surgical Society of Ethiopia, to address trauma-related injuries in the region. Together, they introduced the ACS Advanced Trauma Life Support^® (ATLS^®) course in Ethiopia. The inaugural ATLS course was successfully launched in February 2023. Dr. Emnet Tesfaye, an emergency and critical care specialist at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia, currently serves as the national Ethiopia ATLS Director and is a technical advisor to the Emergency, Injury, and Critical Care Directorate of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. 

Future courses will take place under her leadership. This partnership underscores the importance of global collaboration and the central role of Ethiopian institutions in elevating trauma care standards in the country. The shared expertise and resources from both international and local entities have enriched the program, ensuring its sustainability and impact. As the initiative continues to grow, Hawassa will be a resource not just for the rest of the country, but for the region as well.

Research Course and Ongoing Mentorship

In January 2022, Drs. Elyse LeeVan, Theresa Chin, and Adnan Alseidi traveled to Hawassa to conduct an in-person research course for 33 residents in conjunction with Drs. Belay Mellese and Zersenay Gebremeskel of Hawassa University, and Dr. McKenzie Lee, the first annual ACS Global Surgery Research Fellow from Virginia Commonwealth University who was stationed in Hawassa at the time. Course topics covered included major clinical study designs, minimizing bias, data collection tools, how to write a prototype proposal, how to search for literature in PubMed and Google Scholar, and more. The research course marked the first official ACS H.O.P.E. sponsored trip to Hawassa since 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 30 research projects are currently ongoing. Prior to ACS H.O.P.E. involvement, no research projects were taking place. The Hawassa Research workgroup continues to mentor Hawassa residents in their projects which they hope to submit for the annual COSECSA meeting in December 2023.

Visit from ACS Executive Director and CEO

In March 2023, ACS H.O.P.E. staff Dr. Girma Tefera, Medical Director, and Miranda Melone, Program Manager, traveled with Dr. Patricia Turner, ACS Executive Director and CEO to visit with key stakeholders in both Addis Ababa and Hawassa. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopian ACS Fellows gathered and discussed their upcoming chapter formation, which is set to be official by Clinical Congress 2023. Also in Addis Ababa, Dr. Turner, Dr. Girma, and Miranda met with hospital officials at St. Paul’s Hospital and the Millenium Medical College to discuss potential opportunities to run an ATLS course for the first time in Addis Ababa. Conversations remain ongoing to plan the future course.

During her time in Hawassa, Dr. Turner met with Hawassa University leadership including Dr. Ayano Berasso, University President; Dr. Anteneh Gadisa, Chief Executive Director of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences; and others to discuss the success of the surgical training collaborative so far and future hopes for the post-COVID era. Dr. Turner also attended the morning report with surgical residents and surgery department chair Dr. Belay Mellese, went on rounds with the residents, and met with ATLS Country Director Dr. Emnet Tesfaye to view the facilities and discuss the future of ATLS in the country and region. Under the leadership of the ACS Hawassa Council and Drs. Belay, Zersenay, and Anteneh, ACS H.O.P.E. looks forward to having more of a continuous presence in Hawassa starting fall 2023.