The 66th Annual Conference for the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) brings together surgeons, anesthesiologists, educators, policymakers, and healthcare leaders from across West Africa and beyond.

With a focus on the theme of capacity building, particularly in developing the next generation of African surgeons, the conference provides a key platform for advancing regional collaboration, professional education, and sustainable solutions to improve access to safe and timely surgical care. Topics of conversation are transformative approaches that are currently redefining the surgical landscape with dedicated sub-themes on artificial intelligence in surgery, innovation in surgical training, and the strategic use of technology in surgical practice.

“We look upon WACS and strategic partners shaping specialists' trainings and building a resilient surgical workforce in our country and across our subregion,” says His Excellency, the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama. “In surgical care, timely access is critical and requires prompt and safe interventions. When access is delayed, preventable conditions rise, avoidable death occurs, and families endure needless suffering. This underscores the importance of your work and advocacy.”

Mercy Ships is also among the international partners attending. The faith-based NGO has worked alongside governments and surgical institutions across Africa for more than four decades. Mercy Ships’ presence reflects its ongoing commitment to support national health strategies through direct medical services and long-term medical capacity strengthening.

“Our presence at WACS is about partnership,” says Erin Ugai Regional Director of Programs West Africa. “We work alongside ministries of health, training institutions, and local professionals to strengthen surgical systems in a way that is nationally led and sustainable.”

In parallel with its participation in WACS 2026, Mercy Ships teams are currently in Ghana to support preparations for the organization’s upcoming field service, anticipated to begin in August 2026. The Global Mercy™ hospital ship is preparing to return to the country, delivering free surgical care while working alongside national partners to enhance local medical capacity.

Decades dedicated to consistent, careful, and effective improvements to the health of Africa’s people, such as through Mercy Ships’ field services, are a testament to the importance of scientific exchange at WACS. These conferences underscore the shared commitment of regional and international partners in helping to chart a course that advances sustainable surgical care in West Africa through long-term investments in people, skills, and systems.