College President’s New Year Address- January 2026

On behalf of the Council, Board of Trustees, and leadership of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), I warmly welcome our Fellows, Members, Secretariat staff, partners, stakeholders, and the wider health community to the year 2026. I sincerely thank you for your continued commitment to the vision and mission of the College. Your dedication remains central to WACP’s role as a leading professional and academic institution serving the health needs of West Africa.

Our Mandate: Since its founding in 1976, WACP has been guided by a clear purpose. We were established to train physicians to the highest international standards, while remaining firmly rooted in the realities of African healthcare. Our conviction remains that a healthy Africa depends on well-trained, ethical, and socially responsive physicians.

Key Achievements in 2025: The past year was marked by significant progress and strategic growth.

We successfully hosted the 49th Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) in Dakar, Senegal, reinforcing WACP’s position as a vital platform for scientific exchange, professional development, and regional collaboration.

A major milestone was achieved in our efforts to strengthen WACP as a truly West African institution. The integration of Lusophone countries into the College, with the onboarding of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, has firmly established WACP as a tri-lingual international organisation operating in English, French, and Portuguese. This achievement enhances inclusiveness and regional ownership.

We also completed the comprehensive archiving of College records from 1976 to date. With over 110,000 documents professionally archived, WACP has preserved its institutional memory, strengthened transparency, and ensured easier access to records for present and future generations.

Training and Assessment: Throughout the year, the College sustained high-quality Update Courses and training programmes to ensure that our physicians remain current, competent, and responsive to evolving health challenges.

Our commitment to strengthening medical education continued through Doctor as Educator programmes and Training of Trainers workshops, reinforcing the quality of teaching across accredited institutions.

Ethics remains at the heart of our work. Through structured Ethics Courses and professional guidance, WACP continues to affirm that medicine is both a scientific discipline and a moral vocation.

Our examinations and accreditation systems remain rigorous and relevant, assessing not only knowledge but also clinical judgment and real-world competence.

Digital Transformation and Innovation: WACP has made strong advances in digital transformation. Nearly five decades of records have been digitised and secured. Plans are underway to integrate Turnitin into the College Proposal Management System (PMS) to discourage plagiarism and promote research integrity.

We are progressing with the digitisation of all residency applications and training documentation across faculties, simplifying processes for trainees and administrators. Secure digital verification tools, including QR-coded certificates and transcripts, are also being introduced.

In addition, plans are in place for online access to the West African Journal of Medicine (WAJMED), improving visibility and accessibility for researchers and practitioners globally.

Looking Ahead to 2026: The year 2026 presents significant opportunities. The College will expand structured training programmes to support lifelong learning for Fellows and Members. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes for Secretariat staff will also be a key focus in 2026, equipping our administrative teams with skills in digital systems, governance, and operational excellence to support the College’s growth and efficiency.

We will continue to deploy digital tools and responsible use of artificial intelligence to enhance training, assessment, research, and governance.

A major highlight of the year will be the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the West African College of Physicians, scheduled to take place in Nigeria in October 2026. This landmark event will commemorate five decades of service to healthcare in West Africa and set a clear strategic direction for the future.

Closing: Africa’s health challenges remain complex, but they also reinforce the importance of strong institutions, skilled professionals, and regional collaboration. WACP remains committed to excellence, innovation, ethical practice, and partnership across borders.

I thank you for your trust and support, and I look forward to working with you to build a stronger College and a healthier West Africa in 2026 and beyond.

Dr. Mamadou Mourtalla Ka

College President