KIGALI, Rwanda, Feb 28 – Medical practitioners, policy experts, and researchers have raised concerns over the declining number of surgical professionals in Africa, warning that the crisis could reach critical levels by 2030, leaving millions without access to life-saving procedures
Studies presented at the Pan-African Surgical Conference (#PASC2025) indicate that Africa faces a projected shortage of six million surgical care providers, a gap that threatens healthcare access across the continent.
The five-day conference, convened by medical charity Operation Smile, is themed “Building Resilient and Sustainable Surgical Services in Africa: A Surgeon in Every District Hospital.”
It aims to address the shortage by strengthening local surgical workforces and developing country-specific solutions.
“Millions lack access to life-saving surgical care—a basic human right. This conference is not just about discussions; it is a call to action for a shared vision of quality healthcare,” said Professor Faustin Ntirenganya, a senior consultant general and onco-plastic surgeon at the University of Rwanda and co-chair of the conference.
Billy Magee, conference co-chair and Chief Medical Officer at Operation Smile, emphasized the need for global partnerships to support Africa’s surgical training efforts.
“Africa cannot do this alone. We need corporations, philanthropies, NGOs, and first-world nations to invest in the next generation of surgeons and anesthesiologists,” she said.
Other keynote speakers were Dr. Hanna Getachew (Consultant General and Paediatric Surgeon), Dr. Peter Nthumba (Program Director, Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, AIC Kijabe Hospital), and Prof. Kathryn Chu (Director, Centre for Global Surgery)
The conference will also focus on healthcare infrastructure innovations, and policy advocacy for improved surgical access, among others.
Operation Smile, which has been working in Africa since 1987, invests in long-term solutions for surgical care.
The nonprofit has operated in 12 African countries and plans to expand to Tanzania in 2025.
