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Surgical Societies

Surgical Societies are professional membership organizations for surgeons. Admission is open to all registered medical practitioners who meet the professional entry requirements. Surgical Societies work to advance surgical education, training, standards, research and practice in COSECSA Member Countries.

The Association of Burundi Surgeon Association (ABUC) is based in Bujumbura where over 70% of the region’s doctors are concentrated. It is an association of surgeons who strive for excellence in serving patients. The provision of healthcare is unevenly spread across the region and since 2007 it has been structured into health districts. This Surgical Association is responsible for furthering the education and professional development of its members. To this end, it is a member society of COSECSA and delivers training in surgical subspecialties.

The Surgical Society of Ethiopia (SSETHIO) is an academic society for surgeons. The SEE strives to serve the patient and the profession of surgery by promoting excellence, research, education, and patient care. The Surgical Society of Ethiopia (SSETHIO) is an academic society for surgeons. The SEE strives to serve the patient and the profession of surgery by promoting excellence, research, education, and patient care. Founded in 1995, the Surgical Society of Ethiopia is one of the most prestigious surgical Societies in Ethiopia. Its members include the most prominent surgeons from the country’s leading academic medical institutions.​

The Surgical Society of Kenya (SSK) was formed in the early 1980s to champion the welfare of surgeons in the country. It was officially registered in 1989 and has a current membership of 300 surgeons throughout the country. Associate members include Residents, medical students and theatre nurses. Member education is a key function of the society and to this end; the Annual Scientific Conference (ASC) is an educational and networking event as well as monthly Continuing Medical Education (CME) workshops. The Society publishes bi-annually the Annals of African Surgery Journal to encourage both authorship and readership amongst members. This journal is accessible via Africa Journals Online (AJOL). SSK runs an annual free surgical camp to give back to the community. At its last camp, over 80 participants (surgeons, anaesthetists, medical and clinical officers, nurses) operated on 227 patients over the course of 2 days.

The Surgical Society of Malawi (SSM) is a constituent member of COSECSA and is based in Blantyre, Lilongwe. The primary objective of the SSM is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Malawi. Training is provided across Malawi in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SSM delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification. It holds regional scientific meetings and abstracts of the cases discussed at these events have been published in the East & Central African Journal of Surgery, thus encouraging readership and authorship amongst its members.

The Sociedade de Cirurgia Moçambique/ Surgical Society of Mozambique (SSMoz) is a constituent member of COSECSA and is based in Maputo, Mozambique. The primary objective of the SSMoz is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Mozambique. Training is provided across Mozambique in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SSMoz delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification. SSMoz works to foster a culture of continuous training and research amongst it members. It aims to set standards and provide training for surgeons practicing in often rural and resource-limited healthcare facilities.

Rwanda Surgical Society (RSS) was formed in January 2007 to champion the welfare of the surgeons in Rwanda with 21 full members and 17 post graduate doctors. The current RSS membership is sixty nine surgeons across the country and Associate members include Residents, Medical students and Theatre nurses. With a view to giving back to young doctors, RSS also runs several Annual Conferences and Trainings in surgery. With the support of members, potential partners, COSECSA, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), the society has held AGM and Scientific Conferences in Rwanda between 2008 and 2014. Over 2000 participants (surgeons, anesthetists, medical and clinical officers, medical students, nurses) attend these scientific conferences 3rd Dec 2008 in Maputo, Mozambique: Rwanda became the 9th Constituent member of COSECSA and awarded to host the 2009th Annual General Meeting, Graduation and Anniversary celebration instead of waiting for eight years as was the custom due to successful hosting of the regional conference in Huye in August 2008.
Two Rwandan members were elected to the COSECSA Council in Maputo.

The Surgical Society of Tanzania (SST) is a constituent member of COSECSA and is based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Its Committee is comprised of 14 members. The primary objective of the SST is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Tanzania. Training is provided across Burundi in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SST delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification. The primary objective of the SST is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Tanzania. Training is provided across Burundi in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SST delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification.

The Surgical Society of Uganda (SSU) is a constituent member of COSECSA and is based in Kampala, Uganda. The primary objective of the SSU is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Uganda. Training is provided across Burundi in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SSU delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification. The SSU holds an ongoing surgical outreach camp in the region. It holds a Scientific Conference each year and a past theme (2013) was that of the ‘surgeon crisis’ / brain drain in the region.

The Surgical Society of Zambia (SSZam) is a professional body of surgeons in Zambia. It aims to improve surgical training & services in all health facilities and to advance surgical care in Zambia. It represents surgeons in regional and international organisations, advancing their research in surgery. The SSZam is a constituent member of COSECSA and is based in Lusaka, Zambia. The primary objective of the SSZam is to advance education, training, standards, research and practice in surgical care in Zambia. Training is provided across Burundi in a range of specialities and sub-specialities. SSZam delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification.

The Surgical Society of Zimbabwe (SSZ) was formed in 1983 and now has a membership of 120 Surgeons and 40 Trainee Surgeons. The primary objective of the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe is to advance education, training, standards, research & practice in surgical care in Zimbabwe. The SSZ is a chapter of the Regional College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa. Through COSECSA, SSZ have delivered training to Zimbabwean candidates in Specialities and Sub-Specialties previously unavailable in Zimbabwe. SSZ delivers a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognized surgical qualification.

Admission to the Society is open to all registered medical practitioners who comply with the professional requirements for admission. Membership is at different levels with full membership being accorded to registered surgical specialists and associate membership to trainees in surgery, as well as, any registered health practitioner who are deemed to promote the interests and tenets of the Society.

The Surgical Society of Zimbabwe is leading in shaping and training of surgeons across the country. The Society focus on promoting the professional and personal interests of our membership, the delivery of quality surgical care to the populations of Zimbabwe and beyond.

The Surgical Society of Zimbabwe has been a leading player in the development of COSECSA.