INSIDE AFRICA's SURGICAL SCENE

Inside Africa’s Surgical Scene highlights the breadth of educational and professional activities shaping surgical practice across the continent. This page brings together CMEs, conferences, workshops, surgical camps, and key meetings, curated to support continuous learning, collaboration, and professional development. It serves as a practical guide for surgeons and trainees seeking to stay informed, engaged, and connected within Africa’s dynamic surgical landscape.

To have your surgical events, courses, or camos featured in the Surgical Scene Section of the Annals of African Surgery, click here to submit your details.

Upcoming Conferences

2026 AHPBCC Annual Scientific Conference

Theme: "Collaborating to Improve HPB Cancer Control in Africa: Prevention, Treatment, Research, and Survivorship"
Dates: August 12–15, 2026
Venue: Abuja, Nigeria
Building on the success of our 2025 conference in Johannesburg, the 2026 meeting will convene global leaders to address the growing burden of hepatopancreatobiliary cancers. The program advances research on key risk factors, strengthens cross-continental collaboration, and emphasizes practical strategies to reduce mortality.

More Details and Abstract submission can be found here:

International Congress on Innovations in Global Surgery (ICIGS)

We invite you to participate in the International Congress on Innovations in Global Surgery (ICIGS) 2027 and the 21st ASOU Annual Scientific Conference, place in Kampala, Uganda, from 23–25 March 2027! We welcome submissions from students, trainees, researchers, engineers, and innovators worldwide, centered on the theme "Advancing Surgical Equity and Innovations in Africa." submissions will be accepted from 1 July 2026 until 30 September 2026. Available categories include Short Paper (Oral or Poster) and Innovation Showcase & Surgical Landscape Exhibition. For more and to submit your abstract, please visit:

Upcoming Courses and Workshops

SURGhub

SURGhub is a free, United Nations-backed digital learning platform dedicated to advancing global surgical education.

Bringing together high-quality courses from leading international partners, SURGhub enables surgeons, residents, anaesthetists, nurses, obstetric providers, and other members of the surgical workforce to learn, connect, and earn certificates from anywhere in the world.

Explore the platform and access its growing catalogue of educational resources at :https://www.surghub.org

COSECSA–CEGS Annual Lecture Series

The COSECSA–CEGS Annual Lecture Series is a virtual, multidisciplinary educational program co-hosted by the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and the Centre for Equity in Global Surgery (CEGS). It focuses on specialized training for surgical oncology, thoracic, and vascular surgery.

Key Information:

Schedule: Wednesdays throughout the year (from April to mid-August).
Time: 2:30 PM East Africa Time (EAT) / 1:30 PM Central Africa Time (CAT).
Audience: Designed specifically for COSECSA trainees, examination candidates, and healthcare professionals within Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
Format: Synchronous, virtual multidisciplinary lectures featuring global experts.
Registration: Participants must register via the Official COSECSA/CEGS Registration Portal

Building a Safe Surgery Culture (Self-Paced)

Building a Safe Surgery Culture (Self-Paced) is a free online course from the World Bank Open Learning Campus that equips healthcare professionals with practical tools to implement World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended safe surgery practices.

Covering patient safety before, during, and after surgery, the course emphasizes effective teamwork, communication, compliance monitoring, and the development of a strong culture of surgical safety to improve patient outcomes.

Designed for all hospital personnel involved in patient safety, the course is available here:

AO Spine Seminar – Management of Spinal Tumors

Date: Saturday, 1st August
Venue: Ngong Hills Hotel, Nairobi (1 off Ngong Road)

Target audience: Spine surgeons (orthopaedic or neurosurgical)

Objectives:

Primary & secondary spinal tumors – diagnosis and management
Intradural tumors
Metastatic spinal tumors
Case‑based discussions with multidisciplinary input

Format: Lectures + small group discussions

Registration fee (USD):

Standard ticket: $125
Member ticket: $112.50
Early bird discount 10% – available until 10 June 2026

Contact for questions: Global Event Services – 0728892218 or karolina.barcik@aofoundation.org

Click here for more details

Paul Farmer Global Surgery Fellowship (2026–2027 Application Cycle)

The Paul Farmer Global Surgery Fellowship is a highly competitive training track administered by the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC) at Harvard Medical School. The program aims to equip surgical residents, registrars, and fellows with the research, policy, and advocacy skills necessary to address health inequities and optimize surgical delivery systems in resource-limited settings across Africa and globally.

Available Tracks: 24-month Research Fellow track or 12-month Research Collaborator track.
Specialties: General Surgery (and all subspecialties), OB/GYN, and Anesthesia.
Funding: Self-funded model (applicants must secure external or institutional funding).
Application Components: Requirements include a current CV, a personal statement, academic commentary, an official medical transcript, and two letters of recommendation
How to Apply: Prospective candidates can access comprehensive guidelines and submission steps on the official PGSSC Research Fellowship Portal. Complete applications and eligibility queries must be emailed directly to pgsscboston@gmail.com.
Deadline: August 15, 2026

One Surgery Academy

The One Surgery Academy is a 100% free, open-access online educational platform dedicated to teaching all aspects of global surgery. Founded as part of a non-profit initiative, it focuses on bridging healthcare gaps by providing handcrafted educational resources, surgical tracking logs, and curated medical courses tailored for clinicians in low- and middle-income countries

Click the link above to explore courses.

Oxford Global Surgery Short Course 2026

The 2026 Oxford Global Surgery Short Course is a 5-day intensive program scheduled from Monday, 21 September to Friday, 25 September 2026, hosted by the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Oxford.

It focuses on universal access to safe, affordable surgical, anaesthesia, and obstetric care, featuring expert-led sessions on research, policy, and technology.

Key Course Information:

Target Audience: Health professionals, trainees, and students in surgery, anesthesia, and obstetrics.
Focus Areas: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, digital technology in surgery, workforce strengthening, ethical resource allocation, and research.
Organizer: Oxford Global Surgery Group.

For updates and registration, visit: https://www.nds.ox.ac.uk/events

International HPB Surgery School

For education enthusiasts:

International HPB Surgery School is a virtual educational platform where basic and advanced courses in HPB Surgery are delivered by experienced surgeons.
The program includes 100 planned lectures for general surgeons and residents who aimed to increase their knowledge in HPB surgery. The lectures cover all aspects of liver, pancreas, and biliary system surgery. Experienced surgeons deliver the live sessions, sharing their knowledges directly. The lectures began in May 2024 and are scheduled to finish in November 2026. It is designed to provide high-quality HPB education accessible to everyone worldwide.
Completely FREE!
Registration is mandatory…