Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum Underway in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, November 5, 2025 (ENA) – The Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum, which brought together health experts and policymakers from across the continent, has convened in Addis Ababa today.

Under the theme "From National Surgical Healthcare Policy to Practice — Expanding Africa's Multidisciplinary Surgical Workforce: What Works in Africa?", the forum will discuss innovations, funding, and strategic efforts to strengthen the continent’s surgical workforce.

Lead Executive Officer for Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Elubabor Buno,   noted that the integration of cutting-edge technology and research bolsters healthcare delivery across the region.

“This forum provides a critical platform for professionals to engage in exchange programs to share knowledge and experiences that will enhance healthcare quality throughout Africa,” he said, adding that efforts would focus on improving access to essential medical supplies and medicines, particularly in underserved regions.

According to him, the major goal of the forum is to develop a comprehensive health curriculum adaptable to educational institutions throughout Africa, fostering long-term improvements in surgical care and workforce capacity.  

Chair of the Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum, Professor Abebe Bekele, highlighted the participation of representatives from approximately 43 African countries, including senior officials from many ministries of Health.

He described the forum as a foundational step toward regional collaboration for addressing shared challenges.

The Chairman further pointed out common struggles such as shortages of trained healthcare professionals, inequalities in training quality, and uneven distribution of personnel.

Emphasizing African ownership, he urged that solutions come from within the continent rather than reliance on external donors, citing the failures of past decades without local leadership.

Professor Abebe also called for collaborative development of context-specific approaches that reflect Africa’s realities and allow sustainable health system strengthening.

The three-day forum is expected to address Africa’s surgical healthcare challenges and opportunities.  

Aligned with Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3, the Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum’s focus remains on building a strong surgical workforce through enhanced training, retention, and equitable distribution to ensure accessible, effective surgical healthcare continent-wide.