Surgeons in Sierra Leone Embrace ACS during Recent Conference, Humanitarian Mission

The West African College of Surgeons (WACS) held its annual scientific meeting in Freetown, Sierra Leone, this past March, where ACS President Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA, FACS, was conferred honorary fellowship. The meeting was preceded by a surgical outreach mission, where 27 volunteers conducted more than 200 surgical procedures in various parts of Africa.

Benedict C. Nwomeh, MBBS, FACS, and A. Peter Ekeh, MBBS, FACS, provided the highlights:

The WACS 64th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference was held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Sierra Leone, March 3–7.

A regular feature of the annual conference in recent years has been a global surgery mission led by WACS member surgeons, with a unique South-to-South focus and a global North and South collaboration. This year’s conference was preceded by the surgical outreach (humanitarian mission) on four sites in the Northern, Eastern, and Western regions of the country. 201 surgical procedures were performed by 17 international and 10 local volunteers. The international group of WACS volunteers was drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia, Sweden, UK, and Canada.

The WACS members from the US and North American Chapter, led by A. Peter Ekeh, MBBS, FACS, from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, held a capacity-building course in minimally invasive surgery for residents and surgical specialists. 15 residents and specialists attended the course.

The official Conference opening ceremony took place on Monday, March 4, during which WACS officials, dignitaries, and other delegates were welcomed by the chair of the Local Organizing Committee, Thaim B. Kamara, MBChB.

In his annual address to WACS executives, council members, past presidents, host government officials, fellows, and graduands, WACS President Emmanuel R. Ezeome, MBBS, FACS, described the mandate of WACS and its achievement in improving the health manpower situation in the subregion through training, research, and service.

Sierra Leone Minister of Health and Sanitation Austin Demby, PhD, MSc, BSc, was full of praise for the WACS contribution to human capital development in the health workforce. He promised his continued support to the WACS.

The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone was represented by the Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, PhD, who congratulated the WACS and pledged the government’s commitment to support the College’s programs.

The highlight of the opening ceremony was the conferment of an honorary fellowship award on Dr. Ford by the WACS president. This followed a citation by Benedict C. Nwomeh, MBBS, FACS, from The Ohio State University in Columbus, which recognized Dr. Ford’s career-long history of deep engagement in educating, sponsoring, and mentoring trainees, including individuals of West African origin.

Dr. Ford is the 5th ACS President to receive the prestigious honorary WACS fellowship, following in the footsteps of LaSalle D. Leffall Jr., MD, FACS; Claude H. Organ Jr., MD, FACS; L. D. Britt, MD, MPH, FACS; and Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS.

During the conference, Dr. Ford also had the opportunity to participate in a panel on surgical leadership, where he delivered a talk on “Teaching and Mentoring the Next Generation of Surgeons: A Leadership Perspective.” In addition, the ACS President participated in an interactive forum with the WACS Gender and Youth Committee during the session “Exploring Opportunities for Beneficial Mentorship in the Surgical Specialties,” where Drs. Ford and Nwomeh shared their personal experiences as a mentor-mentee pair.

Several important scientific papers were presented, and symposia were conducted by sponsors of the conference.

Benedict C. Nwomeh, MBBS, FACS

Peter Ekeh, MBBS, FACS