The Medical Students’ Association of Rwanda (MEDSAR) is upbeat as it looks forward to host the 11th Africa Regional Meeting (ARM) of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA). 

The latest ARM will be held in Kigali from December 18 to 22, but organizers say that preconference and post conference tours shall also be held from December 15 to 18and December 22 to 24, respectively.

This year’s theme is ‘Post 2015 Maternal New Born and Child Health’.

It is the first time Rwandan medical students are hosting such an event. Uganda hosted the 10th event last year.

"This will be a perfect platform to engage future healthcare providers to discuss the new agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) regarding women and children,” said MEDSAR President, Gerard Mbabazi.

"This meeting is very important because it provides a platform where we, as future healthcare providers, sit and discuss on health issues that are affecting the world and our continent. We are expecting 350 people from all over Africa”.

Undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and medical interns from over 20 African countries will attend the meeting. They will be joined by other delegates from the East Mediterranean region, Europe the America and Asia.

Established in 1951 after the end of the Second World War to serve as a platform for unity, collaboration and peace among medical students, IFMSA is regarded as one of the oldest and largest student run organizations in the world.

Officially recognized by the UN and WHO as the international voice for medical students, the body has a broad representation of 116 member organizations from 109 countries and represents 1.2 million medical students worldwide.