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History of AfHNS

In 2005 there were no specialist head and neck surgeons in Sub-Saharan Africa north of South Africa. By 2018 there were 14 fully trained head and neck surgeons in 11 Sub-Saharan African countries who had completed a full year of training through the University of Cape Town Karl Storz Head and Neck Fellowship (12) and the PAACS/Hopkins Head and Neck Fellowship in Cameroon (2). This group of head and neck surgeons established the African Head and Neck Society (AfHNS) in Rwanda in 2016.

Kigali 2016

Mission of the AfHNS

  1. Improve outcomes of patients with diseases of the head and neck in Africa through prevention, clinical excellence, teaching, training and research, and by promoting the highest professional and ethical standards
  2. Coordinate and advance training and education of those engaged in the management of patients with diseases of the head and neck in Africa
  3. Promote friendship and collaboration among those engaged in the management of patients with diseases of the head and neck in Africa

Activities of AfHNS

  • African Head and Neck Virtual Tumor Board
    • 90 min ZOOM meeting of clinical cases from around Africa with discussion
    • Every 2nd Friday of the month at 19h00 Nairobi time
    • If you would like to present clinical cases, contact Chege Macharia (Convener)
    • Meetings
      • 19h00 Kenya time; 18h00 South Africa time; 16h00 Ghana time
      • Zoom Meeting:

Past activities of AfHNS

  • May 2019: Harare, Zimbabwe; 3rd AfHNS conference, 3rd AfHNS Head and Neck cadaver dissection workshop with AfHNS faculty, and ultrasound course (AAOHNS report), (Video)
  • Dec 2018: Cape Town, South Africa: IFOS “Teaching the teachers”
    • Head & neck ultrasound course by American College of Surgeons (Video)
    • Advanced head & neck cadaver dissection course by IFOS (Video)
    • AfHNS guidelines for thyroid tumours in resource constrained settings (Video)
  • May 2018: Accra, Ghana; 2nd AfHNS Head and Neck cadaver dissection workshop with AfHNS faculty, Head & Neck Ultrasound course, and 2nd AfHNS conference (Article in ENT & Audiology News)
  • May 2017: Kenya: Head and Neck cadaver dissection workshop in Nairobi with AfHNS faculty, followed by 1st AfHNS conference in Mombasa
  • June 2016: Kigali, Rwanda: Establishment of AfHNS

Office Bearers of AfHNS

2024/25

2021/23

2019/20/21

2018/19

2017/18

2016/7

African Head and Neck Fellowship Programmes

Organisations to contact about surgical outreach training in head and neck surgery

Useful Open Access Resources

Funding opportunities for additional training