Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba has called for government-led priorities, workforce motivation, and integrated, innovative solutions to transform surgical care across Africa.
Addressing the Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) that opened in Addis Ababa today, the Minister stressed that surgery is central to universal health coverage in Africa.
Surgical care must therefore align with government priorities ensuring that services meet the real needs of communities across the continent, she added.
Despite challenges, she pointed out to positive post-COVID shifts with enhanced focus on surgical care enablers, calling urgently for better infrastructure and facilities to secure lasting improvements.
The Minister further outlined Ethiopia’s and Africa’s five key priorities: Healthcare financing, workforce retention, primary healthcare integration, digital health advancement, and boosting local manufacturing capacity.
According to her, Ethiopia has last year performed over 3,000 complex surgeries that would have required overseas treatment, illustrating progress toward self-reliance.
Smile Train’s Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, Nkeiruka Obi, stressed the need for partnerships with ministries and professional networks to build skilled surgical workforces, and praised Africa’s leadership.
“PASHeF continues to lead the way through the policy to practice framework building Africa’s next generation of surgical leaders.”
Obi emphasized innovation’s role, including virtual training and simulation devices, and urged global health discussions to reflect Africa’s realities.
“Surgery is not a luxury. It is an economic investment and is essential if we truly want to achieve our universal health coverage goals,” she said, warning that 5 billion people still lack safe access to timely surgical care.
Showcasing African resilience, Obi pointed to success stories such as Ethiopia’s salt programs and Rwanda’s four-by-four initiative, marking a timely entry into phase three of the policy-to-practice movement.
Dr. Walt Johnson, International Advocacy Manager of Mercy Ships, called for united action saying, “When we unite our skills and perspectives, we can achieve remarkable outcomes… Together, we will push boundaries and reach heights that inspire everyone involved.”
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