By Michael Gwarisa
At the 2024 graduation ceremony of the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), held in Harare, Zimbabwe, 33% of the graduates were female. This milestone highlights the institution’s ongoing efforts to improve gender inclusivity in surgical training.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, COSECSA experienced a 22.7% increase in trainee enrollment, with female enrollment rising by 4%, from 23% to 27%. Remarkably, during the exams held in Harare ahead of the COSECSA conference, women accounted for 33% of candidates.
A total of 152 students sat for exams on Monday, representing countries across East, Central, and Southern Africa, including Kenya, Burundi, Malawi, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia, among others.
Speaking at the COSECSA conference, held in collaboration with the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe’s Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora commended COSECSA for its commitment to gender equality.
I am particularly pleased to note the increasing number of female surgeons among the graduates,” said Dr. Mombeshora.“This demonstrates that gender is no barrier to surgical training. I commend COSECSA’s efforts in ensuring gender inclusivity, as well as the work of Women in Surgery Africa (WISA), an affiliate of COSECSA, which has encouraged female medical students and professionals to pursue careers in surgery.”
Dr. Mombeshora also highlighted the transformative impact of COSECSA’s training programs in Zimbabwe. Graduates were awarded certificates in various surgical specialties, including General Surgery, Urology, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Otorhinooncology, Orthopedic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Neurosurgery.
“Before COSECSA, Zimbabwe faced significant challenges in developing its surgical workforce due to limited resources and trainers. The establishment of COSECSA opened doors to a broad network of training opportunities, resulting in significant progress,” said Dr. Mombeshora.
Since COSECSA’s inception, the number of surgeons in Zimbabwe has grown exponentially. In 1999, there were only five orthopedic surgeons in the country; today, there are 48, 42 of whom were trained through COSECSA. Pediatric surgeons have increased from one in 1999 to eight, with seven trained by COSECSA. There were no plastic and reconstructive surgeons in Zimbabwe before COSECSA; today, six are practicing.
“Zimbabwe now boasts 205 surgeons with COSECSA qualifications, and 117 Zimbabwean trainee surgeons are currently enrolled in COSECSA programs. One of the greatest achievements of regionalized training is the retention of talent, with over 96% of COSECSA-trained surgeons remaining in the country to serve their communities,” Dr. Mombeshora noted.
Outgoing COSECSA President Dr. Jane Fualal emphasized the institution’s mission to build Africa’s healthcare capacity but acknowledged the challenges posed by limited financial resources.
“On Monday, we had 299 examiners for 152 students in Harare. I am pleased that 65% of our examiners are from Africa. This demonstrates that we are building capacity,” said Dr. Fualal.
However, she stressed the urgent need to train more surgeons to keep pace with Africa’s growing population.
“We cannot move as fast as the population is growing, so we must continue to train. Our current numbers are a drop in the ocean compared to the demand for surgical services. That is why this college exists, and we must work harder to address the growing needs,” Dr. Fualal said.
She applauded the increase in female students enrolling for surgical courses, calling it a positive development.
“You train a female, you train a nation. Examination enrollment has risen by 20% in recent years. Over the last three years, we have seen 341 fellows, 41 member specialists, and 144 accredited hospitals. We have also increased the number of trainers, with more than 200 scholarships awarded to students,” she added.
