i.
Prof. Margaret Otieno
President, ECSACOG · Chair of the Joint Conference
Kenyatta · NairobiDay 01
Time zone
CAT · UTC+2
No daylight saving
Inaugural Edition · No. 01 · Harare · 19—21 Aug 2026
The 1st
Graduation &
Scientific
Conference.
A landmark moment for women's health in Africa — the inaugural investiture of FCOG Fellows, alongside the ZSOG & ECSACOG Joint Scientific Conference, convening clinicians, scholars and partners across twelve nations.
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Inaugural Fellows
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Member Nations
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Day Convening
Fig. 01 — Maternity ward, Mbarara
Uganda
Conference Theme · 2026
Standardizing obstetric and gynaecologic care in the ECSA region to achieve zero preventable deaths.
College Council · ECSACOG & ZSOG Joint Statement
§ 01By the numbers
A regional College
The first cohort, in numbers.
A decade of College-building, twelve member nations, and one inaugural class of diplomates whose work spans every level of women's health.
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Inaugural Fellows
The Class of 2026 — the first investiture of FCOG diplomates after a multi-year examination cycle.
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Member Nations
East, Central and Southern Africa working under a single academic standard for women's health.
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Day Convening
Ceremony, plenary, and parallel sessions under the joint banner of ECSACOG and ZSOG.
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Scientific Sessions
Six parallel streams over two days — free papers, e-posters, workshops and panels.
§ 02Programme
Three Days, One Convening
A programme of milestone moments.
From the historic first investiture to two days of evidence-based scientific exchange — every session chaired by senior College Fellows and external faculty.
1st ECSACOG Graduation Ceremony
Black tie / Academic regalia · Strictly invitation only for the ceremony, open by ticket for the gala dinner
16:00— 17:00
Arrival, Registration & Regalia
Welcome reception in the foyer. Academic gowns issued to graduating Fellows; family seating commences.
Reception
17:00— 17:30
The Academic Procession
Council, Faculty and inaugural Fellows process into the ballroom under the banners of the College and twelve member nations.
Prof. K. Nyamhunga · College MarshalCeremony
17:30— 18:00
Opening Address & Welcome
Joint address by the Presidents of ECSACOG and the Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists.
Prof. M. Otieno & Dr. T. MadziwaKeynote
18:00— 19:00
Conferral of the FCOG · Class of 2026
Roll call of all inaugural Fellows · Investiture by the College Council · Presentation of certificates and academic hoods.
College Council & Examination BoardConferral
19:00— 19:30
Council Prizes & Commendation
Presentation of the Inaugural Class Medal, Best Thesis, and the President's Commendation for Distinguished Service.
Prizes
19:30— 22:00
Graduation Gala Dinner
Three-course dinner. Performance by the Harare Symphony Trio. Address by the Guest of Honour, Hon. Minister of Health & Child Care.
Hon. Minister of Health & Child CareGala
Joint Scientific Conference · Day One
Plenary & parallel sessions on maternal mortality, obstetric emergencies and surgical training.
08:00— 09:00
Registration & Refreshments
Badge collection · Programme booklet · Welcome refreshments in the foyer.
Reception
09:00— 10:00
Official Opening of the Conference
Welcome from the Joint Scientific Committee. Guest-of-honour address. Setting the agenda for zero preventable deaths.
Hon. Minister · ECSACOG CouncilOpening
10:00— 11:15
Keynote: Maternal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa
A regional data review — where have we moved the needle, and where have we not? Audit findings from twelve nations presented for the first time.
Prof. A. Mutua · Examination BoardKeynote
11:30— 13:00
Plenary: Obstetric Emergencies
Panel of College Fellows debating standardisation of bundles for PPH, sepsis, pre-eclampsia. Evidence-based interventions for ECSA settings.
Plenary
14:00— 17:00
Parallel Scientific Sessions
Six concurrent streams · Free papers · E-posters · Skills workshops · Trainee forum · Gyn-onc updates · Reproductive medicine.
Sessions
17:30— 19:00
Welcome Cocktail Reception
Networking reception in the conference foyer hosted by ECSA-HC. Posters remain open for viewing.
Reception
Conference Day Two & Closing
Gyn-onc, laparoscopy workshop, training futures, and the conference resolutions.
08:30— 10:00
Plenary: Gynaecological Oncology
Surgical staging, fertility-sparing approaches, regional referral pathways. Lessons from the Nairobi and Kampala hubs.
Gyn-Onc Special Interest GroupPlenary
10:15— 12:00
Workshop: Laparoscopic Entry & Simulation
Hands-on session on simulation models — entry techniques, port placement, complications. Limited to 40 trainees, pre-registration required.
Workshop
12:00— 13:00
Panel: Advancing Training Across 12 Nations
College Council open forum on accreditation, examination and Fellow mobility across member states.
Panel
14:00— 16:00
Parallel: Reproductive & Perinatal Health
Free papers, e-poster judging, neonatal collaborations and the trainee case-presentation prize.
Sessions
16:30— 17:30
Closing & The Harare Resolutions
Adoption of the Conference Resolutions. Announcement of the next ECSACOG Congress and the Class of 2027 examination calendar.
Closed by the ECSACOG & ZSOG PresidentsClosing
§ 03Faculty
Distinguished Speakers
A faculty of standing.
Convened by the College Council, the speaking faculty is drawn from senior Fellows, the Examination Board and partner societies — each chairing a session in their domain.
ii.
Dr. Tendai Madziwa
President, Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
Parirenyatwa · HarareDay 01
iii.
Prof. Amina Mutua
Examination Board · Distinguished Lecturer
Muhimbili · Dar es SalaamDay 02
iv.
Dr. Naledi Khumalo
Gyn-Onc Special Interest Group · Convening Chair
Groote Schuur · Cape TownDay 03
v.
Dr. Moses Tukur
Laparoscopic Surgery · Workshop Faculty
Mulago · KampalaWorkshop
vi.
Prof. Grace Nkrumah
College Accreditation Team · Training Futures Panel
Korle Bu · AccraPanel
§ 04Venue
Harare · Zimbabwe
A capital steeped in African history.
Named for the ancient stone city, Zimbabwe takes its turn as host. Rainbow Towers — one of the continent's foremost conference hotels — welcomes the College.
Fig. 02 — Rainbow Towers, Pennefather Ave.
Harare
Conference & Ceremony Venue
Rainbow Towers Hotel
& Conference Centre
Harare, Zimbabwe · 17.82° S, 31.05° E
- Address
- Pennefather AvenueHarare Central, Zimbabwe
- Dates
- 19—21 August 2026Wednesday — Friday
- Ceremony
- 19 August · EveningBallroom · Academic regalia
- Conference
- 20—21 August · Full daysPlenaries & parallels
- Stay
- On-site accommodationGroup rates for delegates
- Airport
- RGM International (HRE)15 km / 25 mins by road
i.
Great Zimbabwe
Named for the UNESCO-listed stone city — an enduring symbol of African civilisation and ingenuity, c. 11–15th century.
ii.
ZSOG · Host Society
The Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists hosts in concert with the College — a partnership of standing.
iii.
The Zimbabwe Bird
The soapstone bird — national emblem, signifying vision, vigilance and a tradition of excellence carried forward.
iv.
Member Nation
One of twelve member nations advancing the College's mission of unified academic standards across the ECSA region.
§ 05Travel
Planning your trip
Logistics & arrival.
Everything you need to plan your trip to Harare — visas, weather, transport from the airport, currency, connectivity and health notes.
i. Climate
August in Harare
Dry season — sunny, low-humidity days and crisp evenings. Pack light woollens for the gala dinner; sun protection for daytime sessions.
Day average22°C / 72°F
Evening low8°C / 46°F
Rain probabilityNegligible
ii. Getting there
From the airport
Robert Gabriel Mugabe International (HRE) is 15 km from Rainbow Towers — a 25-minute drive. Pre-arranged shuttles for registered delegates.
Airport codeHRE
Distance15 km · 25 min
TransferShuttle · Uber · Bolt
iii. Entry
Visas & immigration
Most ECSA member nationals enter visa-free or with visa-on-arrival. KAZA UniVisa ($50) covers Zimbabwe + Zambia. The Secretariat issues invitation letters on confirmed registration.
SADC nationalsVisa-free
KAZA UniVisaUSD 50
e-Visa portalevisa.gov.zw
iv. Money
Currency & payment
The US Dollar is legal tender alongside the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG). Major cards accepted at Rainbow Towers and partner hotels. ATMs on-site.
PrimaryUSD & ZiG
CardsVisa · MasterCard
ATMsOn-site
v. Connectivity
Power & Wi-Fi
220 V / 50 Hz mains, UK-style type-G plugs are standard (type D occasionally). Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the conference venue.
Voltage220 V · 50 Hz
Plug typeG (UK) · D
Wi-FiIncluded
vi. Health
Health & safety
No mandatory vaccinations for ECSA travellers; yellow fever certificate required from endemic countries. Bottled water recommended. Travel insurance advised.
Yellow feverIf endemic origin
Tap waterBottled advised
InsuranceRecommended
Language
English · official
Plus Shona & Ndebele
Driving
Left-hand side
Like UK & SA
Emergency
999 · police
994 · ambulance
§ 06Gallery
From the field
A decade of training, in pictures.
Glimpses from the College's accredited training hospitals, the past examination cycles, and prior College congresses across the region.
§ 07 / Frequently asked
Questions, answered.
Who is eligible to attend the graduation ceremony?
The ceremony itself is invitation-only for the inaugural Class of 2026 Fellows, their guests, College Council and Faculty. The gala dinner that follows is open to ticketed delegates and partners; numbers are limited to the ballroom's seated capacity.
How are certificates of attendance issued?
All confirmed delegates receive a College-stamped certificate of attendance on the closing day. Certificates list session attendance and are signed by the Conference Chair. Digital copies are emailed within seven working days of the close of the conference.
What is the dress code?
For the ceremony on 19 August: black tie / academic regalia. Graduating Fellows wear College gowns and hoods (issued from 15:00 in the foyer). For the conference days (20–21 August): smart business attire is appropriate.
When does abstract submission close?
Abstracts must be received by 30 May 2026. The Scientific Committee reviews within three weeks and notifies authors by 24 June. Accepted authors receive presentation slot and AV requirements at the same time.
Are travel and accommodation included?
Registration fees cover conference attendance, materials, and conference catering. Travel and accommodation are arranged separately. Group rates have been secured at Rainbow Towers and partner hotels; details are shared with confirmed registrants.
Can institutions register a delegation?
Yes. Accredited training institutions are encouraged to send delegations. Discounted group rates apply for parties of five or more — please email the Secretariat via the registration form to arrange institutional billing and badge collation.
Secure your place
Don't miss the inaugural
investiture of the College.
A once-in-a-College-history event. Early registration closes 30 June 2026.
Time remaining
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§ 08 / Organising Bodies
Proudly co-hosted by
ECSACOG
12-Nation College
ZSOG
Zimbabwe · Host
ECSA Health Community
Regional Body
Ministry of Health
Government of Zimbabwe