CHESA at Bethune 2025: Elevating Voices in Global Surgery

CHESA was strongly represented at the 2025 Bethune Round Table on Global Surgery, held May 23-25 in Calgary. This year’s hybrid conference, focused on “Pursuing Equity in Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care,” featured CHESA fellows and alumni Drs. Godfrey Philipo Sama, Samuel Negash, and Wongel Shale, collaborator Dr. Brian Kassaga, and former CHESA Advisory Board Member Dr. Roy Nobhojit, who participated in dynamic panel discussions and presented original research. CHESA Associate Director Dr. Coleen Sabatini delivered a powerful keynote titled “Pursuing Equity: Bridging the Gap Through Multidirectional Teaching and Learning Programs,” reinforcing the importance of collaboration and locally led innovation in global surgical systems. Highlights included Dr. Sama’s presentation on stakeholder engagement in global surgery in Tanzania, Dr. Kassaga’s geospatial analysis of access to bellwether procedures in Uganda, Dr. Negash’s work on the economic impact of pediatric surgery in Ethiopia, and Dr. Shale’s insights on adapting enhanced recovery protocols for GI and hepatobiliary surgeries.