Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria

In the 1980’s professor M.A. Bankole proposed and initiated the formation of the “Association of Pediatric Surgeons of Black Africa”. Apart from holding an inaugural meeting in: Ibadan during the conference of West African College of surgeons, the association did not take off. In the 1990’s, another proposal was made by Prof. Hamdy to form the “Pan African Association of Paediatric Surgeons”. This idea was initiated by a letter written to him by a group of Paediatric Surgeons in South Africa. A group of Ghanaian Paediatric Surgeons disagreed with the idea and so it was not sustained.

In 1991, a decision was taken to form the “Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON)”. The inaugural meeting of APSON was held on the 31st January 1992 in the Department of Surgery of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Prof. S.D. Adeyemi convened the meeting. Thereafter, the association met a few times usually during meetings of West African College of Surgeons or National Postgraduate Medical College. It attempted to compilea list of Paediatric Surgeons in Nigeria and to draw up a constitution. However, efforts were not sustained and the association became dormant. In September, 2001, the first Scientific meeting of APSON was held in LUTH. It was an international update program initiated by Dr. (Mrs.) M.A. Odelola in collaboration with Staff Practitioner from Children’s Hospital Oakland, California. The American team failed to attend due t the ‘tragedies of September 11, 2001’. However the Scientific program went on and brought together about 20 paediatrc surgeons from all over Nigeria. A general meeting was held and the first APSON officers were elected.

The American team from Oakland attended the 2nd annual conference of APSON held in LUTH in March 2002.

The 5th annual conference was held in Zaria in November, 2006.

In April 2002 at a conference in Egypt, APSON was registered with PAPSA (Pan African Paediatric Surgeons) and in June 2002 at BAPS conference in Cambridge England, APSON was registered with WOFAPS (World federation of Association of Paediatric Surgeons). APSON is in collaboration with British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) and European Paediatric Surgeons Association (EUPSA).

The objectives of APSON are:

1. To promote the training of more Paediatric Surgeons in Nigeria.
2. To foster unity and promote friendship among Paediatrc Surgeons in the country.
3. To hold regular scientific meetings to promote continued medical education for the improvement of baby management.
4. To promote the quality of teaching and research in Paediatric Surgery and maintain affiliations with allied professional Associations within and outside Nigeria.
5. To monitor and influence legislations affecting child health.
6. To establish and maintain a Scientific Journal of Paediatric Surgery.

APSON EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT Prof O Adejuyigbe, Ile Ife
VICE PRESIDENT Prof I Evbuomwan, Benin City
SECRETARY GENERAL Dr A. M Abubakar, Maiduguri
FINANCIAL SECRETARY Dr A. M Mohamad, Kano
TREASURER Dr J. O Adeniran, Ilorin
PAST PRESIDENT Prof N.E.N Obianyo, Enugu

ZONAL CORDINATORS

NORTH EAST NIGERIA Dr A. M Abubakar
NORTH WEST NIGERIA Dr P. M Mshelbwala
NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA Dr A. F Uba
SOUTH WEST NIGERIA Dr O. Ogundoyin
SOUTH EAST NIGERIA Dr P. Okoro
SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA Dr O. D Osifo

PATRONS

Professor M. A Bankole
Professor F. A. Nwako
Professor S. D. Adeyemi
Professor J.T. Momoh