Hawassa Ethiopia

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About the Collaborative

Hawassa University was selected in 2017 as the pilot site for the ACS Surgical Training Collaborative, a partnership with the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and academic institutions. Led by partners in Hawassa, the collaborative supports surgical care, education, research, quality improvement, and access to resources.

What We Do

The Hawassa Surgical Training Collaborative focuses on five interconnected areas that strengthen surgical systems and support locally led growth. Together, these efforts expand clinical capacity, strengthen education and research, improve quality and safety, and mobilize the resources needed to sustain progress.

Clinical Care

Develop minimally invasive surgery skills through training and mentorship.
Support thoracic, vascular, oncology, trauma, critical care, plastic, and burn care services through specialty mentorship.
Build trauma care skills through ATLS training and ongoing mentorship.

Education

Support the residency curriculum through morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences, journal clubs, and coordinated visiting faculty instruction.
Offer lectures, simulation, skills training, and TEAM activities.
Develop local teaching leadership through the Hawassa Faculty Development Fellowship and Surgical Education Course.

Quality Improvement

Expand the REDCap surgical registry to support research and clinical improvement.
Train and mentor faculty and residents in quality improvement projects.
Improve data governance, reporting, analysis, and visualization.

Research

Sustaining research-in-progress sessions and mentorship programs for residents and faculty
Mentor faculty and residents through research-in-progress sessions.
Support resident research through Research Day, seed grants, and presentation opportunities.
Expand access to research funding and conference participation, including ACS H.O.P.E. scholarships.

Resource Mobilization

Seek philanthropic, institutional, and in-kind support for surgical facilities, equipment, and supplies.
Support the development and use of Hawassa’s expanded operating room capacity.
Donate to ACS H.O.P.E. and select the designation, "Hawassa Surgical Training Collaborative."

Key Partners

Hawassa University & HUCSH

Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences and Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HUCSH) anchor the Collaborative. Local faculty, residents, nurses, and institutional leaders set priorities and lead the work.

American College of Surgeons

The ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.) coordinates volunteer faculty, specialty mentorship, education, research, and quality improvement activities. It also provides some support for travel, faculty development, and scholarships.

Ethiopian Health Partners

The Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the Surgical Society of Ethiopia work collaboratively on priorities such as Advanced Trauma Life Support^®(ATLS^®) training and trauma care.

US Academic Institutions

US academic institutions support volunteer faculty who contribute to specialty services, education, research, quality improvement, and trauma care.

        Program Milestones
— Hawassa University is selected as the pilot site for the ACS Surgical Training Collaborative
— Partners convene for the first workplan meeting and establish shared priorities for the Hawassa hub
— First ACS volunteers travel to Hawassa and perform needs assessments
— Virtual TEAMS Course facilitated for participants in both Hawassa and Jimma, Ethiopia
— ACS and Hawassa faculty deliver an in-person research course for 33 residents, helping catalyze more than 30 research projects 
— ATLS launches in Ethiopia with Hawassa as the national headquarters: quality improvement training expands 
— Subspecialty support expands across thoracic, vascular, minimally invasive, pediatric, trauma, and critical care surgery. Hawassa completes its first video-assisted thoracic surgery and strengthens resident research and QI infrastructure
2025–2026 — Hawassa advances from individual training activities toward sustained specialty programs. Four surgeons complete advanced laparoscopic training. Hawassa receives four QI seed grants and a Faculty Development Fellowship. The thoracic program is recognized as Ethiopia’s first sustained VATS program 
April 2026 — Hawassa University and ACS H.O.P.E. convene a new workplan meeting to review progress and establish one-to-three-year priorities centered on sustainable implementation, stronger systems, local ownership, accountability, and coordinated volunteer engagement 

    

Get Involved

Help strengthen the Hawassa partnership by volunteering your expertise, engaging your institution as a partner, or supporting the equipment and supplies needed to expand surgical care. Continued collaboration will help Hawassa grow specialty services, strengthen education and research, advance quality improvement, and equip the clinical infrastructure needed for the next phases of locally led surgical capacity building.

If you have questions or want to get involved, please email acshope@facs.org.

Medical equipment and supply donations can be made through our partner, InterVol. Visit Donate Supplies | InterVol or call 585-922-5810 for more information.

Financial donations can be made through the ACS Foundation. Please donate specifically to the ACS H.O.P.E. Hawassa Surgical Training Collaborative Fund.