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The 14th East African British School of Pathology (EABSoP)

Report

For the first time since before the pandemic, a 2-day East African British School of Pathology course, themed around thoracic pathology, had been planned to take place in Kampala, Uganda, in November of 2022. This was to be hosted by Dr. Robert Lukande (Makerere University, Kampala), but unfortunately, due to an outbreak of Ebola in Uganda just prior to the planned date, the meeting had to be postponed and was eventually moved to Kenya, where it took place in Naivasha on 6th and 7th of February 2023.

This meeting was expertly organized and hosted by a regional faculty team, which was led by the current president of the East African Division of the International Academy of Pathology (EADIAP), Dr. Ahmed Kalebi, and in addition to Dr. Lukande who was the putative President-Elect of EADIAP it also included Dr. Edwin Walong (University of Nairobi and Treasurer of EADIAP) Dr. Cynthia Chemonges (Mount Kenya University) as the Meeting Organizing Secretary. The meeting was held at Sewala Lodge, on the beautiful shores of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley, and attended by 43 delegates, mainly senior trainees and junior consultants, primarily from Kenya and Tanzania [Unfortunately 9 delegates from Uganda, 12 from Tanzania and 5 from Kenya cancelled at the last minute despite having pre-registered].

Dr. Jan von der Thüsen (Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, and current president-elect of the BDIAP) had been invited as an international expert speaker on the topic, and he co-presented the lectures with local faculty, who provided a highly valuable local data, practical context and regional perspective. This stimulated excellent discussions about the lecture content, ranging from approach to cut-up to various forms of oncological and non-oncological thoracic disease, as well as treatment modalities, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These discussions led to interesting debates regarding the feasibility of the necessary steps required to improve the standard of care for lung cancer patients in East Africa, where early-stage disease at present is going largely undiagnosed, and late-stage disease is mostly not yet treated in line with international guidelines. The scientific programme was concluded with a lively case discussion, a final talk on future perspectives for thoracic pathology, and the confirmation of the election of the new Council of the EADIAP as follows:

  • Dr Robert Lukande (Uganda – Makerere University) being confirmed as EADIAP President-Elect
  • Dr Cynthia Chemonges (Kenya – Mount Kenya University) newly elected EADIAP Secretary
  • Dr Francis Zerd (Tanzania – Benjamin Mkapa Hospital / University of Dodoma) EADIAP Treasurer
  • Dr. Angela Pallangyo (Tanzania – Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College) Meeting Organizing Secretary with specific task of organizing EABSofP in Kilimanjaro/Arusha in 2024
  • Dr Edwin Walong (University of Nairobi) is the new Kenya County Representative in the Council
  • Dr Fadia Mussa Ali (Mnazi Moja Hospital Zanzibar) is the new Tanzania County Representative
  • The Rwanda and Uganda Country Representatives were to be confirmed.

The delegates proposed the topics for the next EABSofP to be in the area of Soft Tissue and  Bone Pathology, or Gynaecological Pathology; whereas for Pathology Safari the suggested areas are Endocrine Pathology, Dermatopathology or Renal Pathology.

After the meeting, all participants joined an exciting trip to nearby Hell’s Gate National Park, before returning home. 


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