Held in Banjul, The Gambia, the annual meeting was extremely well organised.

IFSC is keen to run both the “Management of Surgical Emergencies” Course and the “International Cambridge Anastomosis Workshop” in West Africa. This meeting provided a welcome opportunity to discuss both of the above with various Colleagues.

I was delighted to be presented with a signed copy of the excellent Manual of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care in sub-Saharan Africa, edited by E. Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa, J. Kayode Lapdo, Adesina Oladokun and Simbo D. Amanor-Boadu.

I was able to attend a Regional WHO meeting.  A number of good presentations highlighted the aim of this meeting and contributed to a better understanding of the importance and role of Surgical care in attaining Universal Health Coverage.

The 20th Sir Samuel Manuwa Memorial Lecture was outstanding, entitled “In Pursuit of Justice and Equity: Rooting for the Health of the Poor” delivered by Nimi Briggs, Emeritus Professor, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Federal University, Lokoja, Nigeria.

Although my Brussels Airlines flights were delayed both ways, I did manage to miss the week that the UK ground to a halt with snow from Siberia, arriving home as it was all melting! Just as well as I cannot stand the cold.

Bob Lane