As we kick off 2023 (two months ago really), a few things become abundantly clear. The first is that we have some catching up to do. COVID put a serious dent in our networking, specifically face-to-face networking, and as such, we need to get to as many networking for healthcare professionals opportunities as we can in 2023. The other thing that’s very clear is that given the hiatus the various events have had, with 2023 being the first completely regulation-free year, every event under the sun is back and hosting during the course of the year. This makes for an extremely busy year on the eventing front, and we simply cannot get to them all if we are to stay up to date with our day-to-day jobs. Hence the need to be selective, and hence this brief piece on my top picks for the year.
Take care of business at home first - What I mean here is that if you are part of a society or an NGO or whatever your primary sector is, go there first. SASA (Anaesthesiology) has just concluded in Bloemfontein and OSSA (Ophthalmology) is kicking off this week in Durban (9th to 11th). Whatever your primary group is, get back in touch there first and then look at broader topic events.
Look for broader partnerships - As we all know, there is power in partnerships and partnerships do not necessarily need to be within your primary sector. As we all look for a holistic approach to care, broadening your focus and aligning with complementary partners should be next on your 2023 eventing adventure. The International Conference on Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine is taking place in Cape Town on the 13th & 14th April. The links between oral care and cardiovascular issues have been long documented, so why not look to foster cross-pollinating relationships in these areas? Look at your own broader care networks and tap into events that could spark new collaboration.
Think big - As I write this I’m sitting in Kigali, Rwanda at the AHAIC 2023 conference hosted by Amref, African Union, Africa CDC, and the Rwandan Government. There could not be a bigger stage in African healthcare than this. Yesterday, I walked 10km with the conference delegates and met the Rwanda minister of health who insisted I call him by his first name. It's conferences like this where we think big. Where we realise we are part of a bigger system and where we commit to being a part of this community and put our hands up to play our part. The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) host their annual event in Cape Town from the 14th to 17th May. The Africa Health Business Symposium takes place in Johannesburg on 29th - 30th June under the theme ‘The role of the private sector in the New Public Health Order’. These events and others like them are unparalleled forums to have the high-level healthcare discussions required for change to flow.
AxessHealth will be covering as many of these as possible as we know you won’t be able to get to them all. Do what you can to get face-to-face this year, but if the stars don’t align, you always have AxessHealth to keep you in the loop.