In May 2022, H.E. Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and the Senegalese Ministry of Health hosted an international symposium on strengthening surgical, obstetric, and anaesthetic care systems by 2030 in Africa in Dakar. The event was held in collaboration with the international NGO Mercy Ships Mercy Ships, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, and the African Colleges of Surgeons. President Macky Sall promoted the importance of bringing African countries together to identify shortcomings, discuss healthcare gaps, and identifying how we, as a unified continent, can address them.
At this symposium, a roadmap was defined, to accelerate access to surgical, obstetric, and anaesthetic care across Africa by 2030. It is my desire that this roadmap, and the Dakar Agreement, is adopted throughout the African Union to see access to surgical care and surgical education significantly increased in this period.
