President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, has officially opened the 66th Annual Conference of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), urging urgent and sustained investment in surgical capacity to improve health outcomes across the sub-region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Mahama described surgery as central to health, dignity, and economic productivity. He emphasized that capacity building must go beyond increasing the number of surgeons to strengthening systems, teams, governance structures, and equitable access to care. The conference is themed “Capacity Building in Surgery for Improved Health Outcomes in West Africa.”
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to advancing surgical training, improving health infrastructure, and enhancing specialist care, President Mahama was named Grand Patron and Honorary Fellow of WACS in recognition of his support for surgical development.
The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, highlighted surgery as a vital pillar of health systems rather than an optional service. He stressed that safe surgery depends on system readiness, including reliable infrastructure, blood services, intensive care units, diagnostics, and strong clinical governance.
Commending WACS for promoting global standards through regional collaboration, the Minister announced that a surgical outreach linked to the conference had delivered 855 surgeries across 11 hospitals in six regions of Ghana. He also addressed health worker migration, recommending improved working conditions, structured career pathways, and stronger engagement with the medical diaspora to retain and attract talent.
The conference has drawn surgeons, medical professionals, researchers, policymakers, and health stakeholders from across the region and beyond, fostering collaboration and setting the stage for future advancements in surgical care throughout West Africa.
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