MESSAGE FROM THE SAOA PRESIDENT
At the EXCO on Saturday it was unanimously resolved to postpone the September congress until 2021. Although it is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will have resolved by then, there will be a significant backlog of patients requiring surgery at this time, particularly in the public sector. It would be wrong to take a large proportion of the work force required for this away for a whole week.
The 2021 congress will be held from 30th August to 3rd September 2021 at the CTICC in Cape Town. We will request all invited speakers to consider attendance at this congress and we will replicate the program for instructional courses and specialty group involvement. We acknowledge that there might be overlap with ISAKOS and the ISHA meetings but we do not believe that significant numbers of SA surgeons will attend these events.
We will be hosting a local congress later this year and the date and venue for this will be determined by the outcome of COVID-19.
Phillip Webster
SAOA President
