EFAS Principles Course in Foot and Ankle Surgery (Mozambique)

Maputo, Mozambique 🇲🇿 | April 28–30, 2025

We are proud to share that the first EFAS Principles Course in Foot and Ankle Surgery, organized by the EFAS Humanitarian Committee, took place from April 28th to 30th at Hospital Central de Maputo, Mozambique.

This landmark event was organized in collaboration with BOFAS, AOFAS, AMOT, and COSECSA, demonstrating a strong spirit of international partnership and commitment to surgical education in Low and middle income countries.

The course was bilingual (English and Portuguese), making it widely accessible, and featured an outstanding multinational faculty:

• Mozambique: Dr. Artur Machava and Dr. Prem Yohannan (local host)

• USA: Dr. Meghan Kelly

• Malawi: Dr. Sven Young

• Kenya: Dr. Ezequiel Oburu

• UK: Dr. Rick Brown (Co-Chair, EFAS Humanitarian Committee)

• Portugal: Dr. Francisco Santos, Prof. Bruno Pereira (EFAS Humanitarian Committee Member), and Dr. Manuel Resende Sousa (Chair, EFAS Humanitarian Committee)

The EFAS Faculty were welcomed by the President of AMOT, the Hospital Director and Director of the Orthopedic Department. Forty delegates from Mozambique, South Africa and San Tome  participated in three intensive days of teaching and learning focused on the core foot and ankle surgery principles.

Key topics included:

• Clinical examination techniques

• Management of post-traumatic deformities

• Infections and Charcot arthropathy—challenges particularly relevant to the local context

The course included:

• Lectures with ample time for discussion

• Practical workshops with live case-based discussions and real patient evaluations

• A Cadaver Lab on the final day allowed  participants to practice surgical approaches  to the Foot & Ankle

A special thank you to Joaquim Chaves Saúde , leading Healthcare provide in Portugal for sponsoring the course dinner, which fostered collegiality, networking, and future collaboration

 A memorable surprise closed the course on a high note: we were fortunate to enjoy a live jazz performance by the renowned Moreira Chonguiça Band. Coinciding with International Jazz Day, the concert was especially meaningful, as Moreira is a regular visitor to the hospital on this day, bringing music, joy, and hope to patients and staff alike. This inspiring moment reminded us of the power of art and community in healing.

This first-ever EFAS Principles Course in Sub-Saharan Africa was a tremendous success. We are especially proud of delivering it bilingually, ensuring broader inclusion and engagement.

 Thank you to all our faculty, partners, and participants who helped make this possible. The EFAS Humanitarian Committee remains committed to expanding access to high-quality foot and ankle education worldwide.