Africa-Middle East Newsletter

Dear IGCS Members,

When Dr. Greta Dreyer (IGCS President Elect, South Africa) and Dr. David Atallah (IGCS Board Member, Lebanon) were both elected as IGCS leaders in 2022, they joined together and appointed IGCS Members to form the IGCS Regional Steering Committee for Africa and the Middle East (AME), realizing there is a need for enhanced communication and collaboration among IGCS members in the region. It is our goal to report on collaborations and news from this part of the world to highlight and celebrate advances being made in gynecologic cancer care.

Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship in Abu Dhabi Under Consideration
Sources in the region have reported that The United Arab Emirates Department of Health (DOH) is considering a preliminary application for a Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship in Abu Dhabi. This is the first time that Abu Dhabi is considering a proposal to remedy the lack of formal training programs in the gulf region of the Middle East. Our sources have confirmed that the DOH has granted primary approval and they are optimistic that the application will be approved. If approved, this would be a major step forward for specialists and patients in the UAE, meaning that clinicians would no longer need to travel outside of the country to receive formal training in gynecology oncology.

Colposcopy and LEEP Train the Trainers Course for Cervical Cancer Prevention in African Countries

A “train the trainers” course on colposcopy, LEEP, and concepts in cervical cancer prevention for African countries was hosted July 25-26 in Mozambique at Maputo Central Hospital, as part of a partnership between the Ministry of Health of Mozambique (National Cancer Control Programme), MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS).

11 gynecologic oncologists and trainees from Kenya, Malawi, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Uganda and 40 doctors and nurses from Maputo Province, Maputo City attended this course to receive special instruction on how to effectively serve as mentors and trainers in their home countries. All in attendance were enthusiastic to participate to ensure consistent training among health care professionals involved in the management of preinvasive cervical disease in African nations.

MEMAGO 6
The 6^th Annual Conference of the Middle East and Mediterranean Association of Gynecologic Oncologists (MEMAGO) was held November 11-12, 2022 in Tunis, Tunisia. View the program.

This is the first IGCS regional newsletter for members practicing in Africa and the Middle East. Click here to view this newsletter on the IGCS website. If you have regional news or stories to share for consideration in future newsletters, please email IGCS Communications Specialist, Debbie Leopold at Debbie.leopold@igcs.org.

We’d like to thank the regional representatives for contributing content to this important communication.

Thank you for being a member of the IGCS!