- Study at RCSI
- Student Life
- Schools & Faculties
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
- School of Medicine
- School of Pharmacy
- School of Physiotherapy
- School of Nursing & Midwifery
- School of Postgraduate Studies
- Institute of Leadership
- Student, Academic & Regulatory Affairs
- Health Professions Education Centre (HPEC)
- Academic Departments
- Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine
- Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Radiologists
- Alumni
- Surgical Affairs
- Research & Innovation
- Innovation
- Strategic Academic Recruitment Programme
- Research News & Events
- Research Areas
- Principal Investigators
- Research Networks & Centres
- Technology Cores & Research Facilities
- Research Office
- Employment Opportunities
- PhD Projects and Postgraduate Training Opportunities
- Research Ethics
- Technology Transfer Office & Management of Intellectual Property
- Research by Faculty
- Research by Academic Department
- Research by School
- Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R)
- About RCSI
- Council
- CEO and Senior Management
- History
- Annual Report
- 3U Partnership
- Contact us and location
- Communications
- Venue hire
- New academic and education building
- RCSI and the wider community
- Quality Enhancement Office
- Academic Health Centre
- Irish Society of Urology
- Freedom of Information (FOI)
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences Strategy 2013 - 2017
- Medical Validation Ireland
- Eduroam
- RCSI International
RCSI/COSECSA collaboration programme
Developing surgical skills in Sub-Saharan Africa
Supported by Irish Aid
Overview
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) established a Collaboration Programme in 2007. The aim of the programme is to increase the provision of quality, essential surgical and emergency care in the COSECSA region, particularly at district level.
The programme is supported by Irish Aid (the Government of Ireland's Development Agency) and RCSI which provides for staff and resources including curricula, education tools, skills training, examination, accreditation and quality assurance processes.
The surgical care crisis in Africa
The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (2015) estimates that 93% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not currently have access to timely and effective surgical care*. Current estimates suggest that 6.5% of the global disease burden is due to conditions amenable by surgery. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest ratio of surgical Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), a measure of the overall disease burden, and the highest rate of obstetrical complications in the world. Africa has approximately 25% of the burden of the world's diseases but only 1.3% of the world health workforce.
Until recently, surgery has not been considered as part of a health strategy in low-income countries because it has been considered to be unaffordable. This has now changed: in May 2015, governments across the world adopted the first World Health Assembly resolution on Surgical Care and Anaesthesia and in doing so, recognised health as an integral part of primary healthcare, a preventive strategy and a cost effective response to numerous health challenges in resource-poor settings.
* The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (2015) Global surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare and economic development p 8, 10, 22
The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA)
OSECSA is the second largest surgical training institution in Sub-Saharan Africa.
COSECSA is a professional body that fosters postgraduate education in surgery and provides surgical training throughout East, Central and Southern Africa. COSECSA was formed in 1999 to advance training, examinations standards, research and practice in surgical care by increasing the number of appropriately trained, well qualified surgeons and surgically trained general medical officers. It is an independent body that provides standardised surgical training in ten countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The RCSI/COSECSA collaboration programme
In 2007, RCSI, COSECSA initiated a partnership programme designed to advance COSECSA's mandate and improve its current operating capacity. A pilot phase was successfully completed in 2007 and long term programme implementation commenced in 2008.
Contact us
Mr Eric O'Flynn, Programme Director: +353 (0) 85 117 8005, ericoflynn@rcsi.ie
Follow us on Twitter at @rcsi_cosecsa 