History of the Pan African Paediatric Surgery Association (PAPSA)
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REVIEW ARTICLE
History of the Pan African Paediatric Surgery Association (PAPSA) E. A. Elhalaby1 · H. Rode2 · K. Lakhoo3,4 Accepted: 29 June 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The Pan African Paediatric Surgery Association (PAPSA) was formed in 1994. The need for an organisation in Africa to voice children’s surgery and the trials and tribulations in forming this organisation was covered in this journal 2 years ago (Heinz R, Kyambi J, Lakhoo K. Surg Int 34(5):499–504, 2018). This article covers the history of the organisation post inception in 1994 to date. The near disbanding of the organisation due to political unrest and wars in Africa, to its success in the recent decade is highlighted in this manuscript. Keywords PAPSA · Paediatric surgery · History
1st PAPSA conference: 1994 After many deliberations from 1991 onwards, the Pan African Paediatric Surgical Association (PAPSA) was inaugurated in 1994 and the first meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya. Professor Julius Kyambi from Kenya was elected as the interim president with support from many paediatric surgical organisations worldwide. The formation of PAPSA until its inception in 1994 was published in this journal [1]. This article follows on to record the development of PAPSA from 1994 onwards. The meetings from 1994 and the presidents of the organisation are outlined in Tables 1 and 2. The prime objectives set by PAPSA were the promotion of practice of paediatric surgery in Africa, improvement of research, interchange of ideas and sharing of knowledge * K. Lakhoo [email protected] E. A. Elhalaby [email protected] H. Rode [email protected] 1
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
2
Division of Paediatric Surgery, Red Cross Children’s Hospital University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
3
Division of Paediatric Surgery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX39DU, UK
4
Division of Paediatric Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford OX39DU, UK
and expertise for the benefit of the children of Africa. This inaugural congress of PAPSA gave surgeons from the African continent a singular opportunity to compare notes and understand the type of paediatric surgical problems which are prevalent in various parts of the African continent and the methods currently employed to solve them. PAPSA and its membership expressed their intent to look at their results critically and arrive at ways of improving performance. PAPSA brought about a unique opportunity to learn how success in paediatric surgery was achieved in some parts of Africa and why it has been elusive in other parts of the same continent. Africa has many experienced surgeons with special knowledge of the diseases of children in Africa. Through the years, they have become leaders in their special fields and have contributed significantly to the advancement of medical care for children in Africa. Disease processes encountered on the African continent may differ substantially from those found in other regions of the world in basic
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