From research to impact: Presenting at the 2025 SAAPS Congress

I had the privilege of attending the 2025 South African Association of Paediatric Surgeons (SAAPS) Congress in East London as an invited speaker. The congress, organised by the Department of Paediatric Surgery East London in celebration of their 30th anniversary, brought together leading experts in paediatric surgery from around the world. The event was held at the Mpekweni Beach Hotel from 1 to 4 May 2025.

I presented findings from part of my DPhil research and subsequent work that is already underway in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, funded by the NIHR. This work in partnership with the Pan African Paediatric Surgeons Association (PAPSA) aimed to develop a unified consensus trauma registry for paediatric trauma in Africa, which included a systematic review of existing registries, and a modified Delphi process with a large panel of experts from across Africa representing diverse linguistic and geographical regions. Through this consensus-building approach, we identified 46 core variables across eight domains and designed a practical two-page paper form specifically for ease of data collection in resource-limited settings. The presentation concluded with our plans for piloting the registry across various hospital settings before wider implementation. The audience showed particular interest in our practical implementation approach and considerations for different resource settings across the continent.

The congress featured presentations from several distinguished international speakers, including Dr Simone Abib (Brazil), Dr Hafeez Abdelhafeez (USA), Dr Sujit Chowdhary (India), Dr Eric Borgstein (Malawi), and Dr Sachit Anand (India). I had the valuable opportunity to discuss potential collaborative research projects with Professor Samad Shaik (SAAPS President) and Professor Milind Chitnis (East London Department Head), which may lead to a multi-centre study initiative.

 Key takeaways from the congress

• The congress had a significant focus on quality-of-life outcomes for paediatric surgical patients, especially in the Sunday panel discussion on EA/TEF, ARM, HD, and urological conditions.
• There was substantial emphasis on developing paediatric surgery in resource-limited settings across Africa, with inspiring talks by Dr Eric Borgstein and Dr Elliot Motloung.
• The integration of minimally invasive surgical techniques in challenging environments was well-represented, with leaders like Dr Rasik Shah and Dr Raju Saoji sharing valuable insights from their work.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Department of Paediatric Surgery at East London for the invitation to speak at the SAAPS Congress, Professor Milind Chitnis for his help in coordinating the collaboration with the Pan African Paediatric Surgeons Association (PAPSA), and to the Eyabantwana Trust for their work supporting paediatric surgical services in the Eastern Cape. I would also like to express my gratitude to the NIHR for the support of our project in Zimbabwe and Tanzania.