Message from Dr Stanley Aruyaru: Chair, SSK Scientific Committee
International and global! That is my view of the 23rd Scientific conference.
Not only did we receive a record number of papers and speakers from outside the country, but our pre-conference workshops have also drawn international and local attendance in equal measure.
If you do not find fodder in the eclectic list of workshops under the ICIGS pre-conference, you will definitely have fun discussing quality in surgery in the other pre-conference module.
The scientific program itself boasts richness and depth by virtue of the mix and scientific rigour of the works presented.
Following your feedback, last year’s venue was changed to the current Sarova Whitesands. I hope you enjoy this year’s venue and I look forward to your feedback by the end of the conference.
The values of diversity, equity, and inclusion have not been lost on us in preparing this program. To that end, we have speakers not only from all the corners of Africa but from 4 continents. That is not all, we have 39% of the conference presentations, 40% of keynote lectures, and 40% of updates in the surgery series presented by women and this is a great move in our efforts as a society to encourage diversity within our rank and file.
As a global surgery enthusiast, I am excited to see global surgery as a discipline take lead in the number of original articles presented, sharing that podium with general surgery.
As usual, the Society’s official journal has a 2-hour breakout workshop that will create the perfect arena for the new entrants into the game that is biomedical research.
Colleagues, the conference is never complete without us heading the words of Porter Gale: “Your Network is Your Networth”. Let us each take a moment to network with colleagues and industry players even as we consume the scientific content.
It is my hope that you will enjoy the conference and develop linkages to carry home with you.
Welcome all. Karibuni!
Dr Stanley Aruyaru, MD FACS
Chair, Scientific Committee