Historic Launch of the Consortium of Medical Schools in Africa (CoMSA) and Election of Inaugural Leadership

The conference brought together 115 medical schools across 31 countries.

Advancing Medical Education in Africa Conference (MedEdAfrica 2025) has achieved a major milestone in African medical education. Hosted by the Ministry of Health of Rwanda, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Kigali, Rwanda, the two-day event, held from March 24–25, 2025.

The conference brought together over 600 delegates, including deans and faculty from 115 medical schools across 32 countries, 36 student leaders, senior policymakers, international partners, and experts in global health and education. Together, they shaped a shared vision to strengthen medical education systems across the continent through innovation, collaboration, and leadership grounded in Africa’s realities and potential.

Consortium of Medical Schools in Africa (CoMSA)

Among other major outcomes, this conference marked the official launch of the Consortium of Medical Schools in Africa (CoMSA), a first-of-its-kind, inclusive, and continent-wide platform aimed at transforming health professional education across Africa.

After the launch of CoMSA, the founding members elected the consortium’s first leadership team to guide its development as follow:

During the conference, CoMSA’s founding members elected the consortium’s first leadership team to guide its development

Prof. Lionel Green-Thompson – President, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Dr. Yvonne Akotoa Dei-Adomakoh – Vice President & Chair, Audit and Compliance Committee, University of Ghana, Ghana

Prof. Abebe Bekele – Secretary General & Chair, Advocacy and Partnerships, University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda

Dr. Salma Abdi Mahmoud – Deputy Secretary General, University of Zanzibar, Tanzania

Dr. Angela Frank-Briggs – Treasurer & Chair, Finance Committee, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Prof. Lukoye Atwoli – Chair, Leadership & Professional Development Committee, Aga Khan University, Kenya

Prof. Titus Ibekwe – Chair, Research and Innovations Committee, University of Abuja, Nigeria

Prof. Choukem Simon Pierre – Chair, Education and Curriculum Committee, University of Dschang, Cameroon

With one mind of the congregation, UGHE was selected as the Secretariat and institutional home of CoMSA, in recognition of its commitment to socially accountable, equity-centered medical education.

An African Vision, for Africa’s Future

The formation of CoMSA reflects a growing demand for an African-owned and African-led platform to address shared challenges in medical education, healthcare workforce development, and community impact. Its goals are:

To serve as the unifying voice of African medical schools.

To engage with local, regional, and global stakeholders to elevate standards in education and healthcare.

To ensure that medical education is relevant, inclusive, and responsive to Africa’s evolving health needs.

To champion strong leadership, research, innovation, and ethical governance.

To foster collaboration, joint ventures, and shared learning across institutions.

To promote global partnerships that are equitable and sustainable.

115 Deans from various African countries played an essential part, launching CoMSA

“CoMSA is more than a platform, it is a movement. A movement to harness our collective strength, wisdom, and resources to build a healthier, more resilient Africa,” says Prof. Lionel Green-Thompson, President of CoMSA.

“We are setting a new standard for cooperation, excellence, and integrity in health professions education.” He adds
“CoMSA is Africa’s space to address Africa’s issues in medical education, research, and community engagement. Such a lot of work is expected from it, and we must rise to the moment with ambition and unity.” Prof. Abebe Bekele, CoMSA Secretary General, notes.

The successful launch of CoMSA was made possible through the generous support of key partners, including the Paul Farmer Collaborative – an academic collaboration between UGHE and Harvard Medical School, the Gates Foundation, and a wide range of academic and policy institutions across the continent and globally.

As Africa faces complex health challenges in the 21st century, CoMSA stands as a bold commitment to ensure that African solutions and African leadership drive the transformation of medical education, healthcare delivery, and public health outcomes for generations to come.