I am a pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeons and a board examiner for COSECSA which are held in early December. I will be examining 15 candidate reconstructive surgeons from 14 East, Central and Southern African Countries.
COSECSA is the largest Surgical Training Institution in Sub-Saharan Africa. We deliver a common Surgical Training programme with a Common Examination and an Internationally recognized Surgical Qualification.
The College currently operates in 14 Member Countries in the Sub-Saharan region: Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and 10 Partner Countries: Angola, Cameroon, D.R Congo, Eswatini, Gabon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Niger, Somaliland and Togo.
The college has created a training pathway which harnesses existing, but often underutilized resources (hospitals and surgeons) for surgical training. In addition to advancing education and training, the college is also involved in advancing standards of practice and research in surgical care. The College currently operates 14 countries in the Sub-Saharan region: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Botswana.
Our primary objective is to advance education, training, standards, research & practice in surgical care in this region. COSECSA shapes and leads the training of surgeons in the Sub-Saharan region. We deliver a common surgical training programme with a common examination and an internationally recognised surgical qualification. Admission to the College is open to all registered medical practitioners who comply with the professional requirements for admission.
In early December 2025, Bujumbura, Burundi hosted a key milestone event in surgical training for the East, Central and Southern Africa region: the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) Fellowship examinations for reconstructive surgery candidates. Sixteen trainees from a range of COSECSA member countries sat for the rigorous assessment and all successfully passed, earning their Fellowship status in reconstructive surgery. This achievement reflects both the hard work of the candidates and the strong support structures that COSECSA provides across the region.
COSECSA’s exams are among the most respected surgical qualifications in sub-Saharan Africa. They are part of a comprehensive training and assessment framework that includes both written and clinical components. These exams are designed not only to test knowledge but also to ensure that surgeons are ready to provide independent, high-quality care in their home countries. The Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) is a specialist credential that signifies a surgeon has met internationally benchmarked standards in their discipline.
The 2025 reconstructive surgery cohort brought together candidates from many COSECSA member states. This diversity underscores the regional reach of the College, which operates across fourteen countries in East, Central and Southern Africa. COSECSA’s training programs are structured to build capacity in a range of surgical specialties, from general surgery to pediatric, orthopedic and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Graduates like these sixteen reconstructive surgeons are critical to improving access to surgical care across both urban and rural communities throughout the region.
COSECSA was established to address the shortage of well-trained surgeons in sub-Saharan Africa. Its mission is to promote excellence in surgical care, training and research by standardizing surgical education and widening access to high-quality training opportunities. Through a common training curriculum and a shared examination system, COSECSA helps ensure that surgeons across member countries meet consistent standards of practice. Beyond exams, the College also supports ongoing professional development, research, and collaborative learning initiatives that strengthen surgical systems over time.
The success of the 2025 candidates in Burundi represents more than individual accomplishment. It highlights the growing strength of surgical training in Africa and the collective commitment to expanding surgical services where they are most needed. As COSECSA continues to evolve and support the next generation of surgeons, events like this serve as important markers of progress toward a more resilient and capable surgical workforce throughout the region.
