Report of the Joint Meeting of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Course in Africa and the First Cameroon Neurosurgery Society Congress, Cameroon, October 2007

Abstract

To the Editor: Access to neurosurgery remains a luxury in sub-Saharan Africa. To date, some African countries of this region cannot even boast of one neurosurgeon, whereas others have one to five neurosurgeons; countries with as many as 10 neurosurgeons are the exception. In its wish to expand and develop neurosurgery in those regions of the world that do not yet have this specialty, the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) chose Africa as the site of an international course on October 2 and 3, 2007. Yaoundé, the capital of the Republic of Cameroon, was designated to host this course. The newly created Cameroon Neurosurgery Society seized this opportunity to organize its first-ever congress from October 1 to 4, 2007, and to ensure that the event ran concurrently with the WFNS meeting. This joint meeting was called the “African Week of Neurosurgery.” This event, which was the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, enabled the gathering of 32 neurosurgeons from 17 countries (Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Guinea) and three continents (Europe, South America, and Africa). The WFNS delegation was headed by the President of the WFNS, accompanied by the Chairman of the Education and Training Committee and seven lecturers. The WFNS lecturers gave 25 lectures (anterolateral spinal meningiomas, management of parasitic meningiomas, spinal cord tumors, surgical treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms, surgical treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations, pterional approach, external ventricular drainage, modern aspects of craniosynostosis, modern treatment of hydrocephalus, laminotomy and laminoplasty, brainstem cavernomas, management of low-grade gliomas, petroclival meningiomas, foramen magnum meningiomas, intraventricular endoscopy, posterior microforaminotomy in the treatment of cervical herniated disc, brainstem tumors, the basic principles of the treatment of severe head injuries, craniopharyngiomas in adults, spinal trauma, transsphenoidal approach, intracranial suppurations, lumbar spinal stenosis, central nervous system parasitosis, and injury resuscitation and management with minimal resources). The Cameroon Neurosurgery Society congress was marked by two major events: 1) 17 oral communications, whose principal themes were neurotraumatology, malformations of the central nervous system, intracranial suppurations, and spinal degenerative diseases in Africa; and 2) the creation of the Association of Neurological Surgeons of Africa (ANSA), which will serve as the link between Africa and the WFNS to bridge the gap of communications. This event recorded a great scientific success. The Cameroon Neurosurgery Society extends special thanks to the Cameroon government, which permitted the realization of this event through its support; the WFNS, its lecturers, and all participants; the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé; the “Cabinet ELESYST”; and all who contributed to the success of this event. Victor C. Eyenga Aurelien Ndoumbe Joseph E. Ngah Yaoundé, Cameroon