About Us

Our History

Building the framework for Pediatric Rheumatology in Africa since 1989.

Evolution of AFLAR & PAFLAR

The inaugural meeting of the African League Against Rheumatism (AFLAR )was held in 1989. The first AFLAR congress was held in Egypt in 1991 and subsequent congresses have been held in Tunis, Tunisia (1995); Cape Town, South Africa (1999); Rabat, Morocco (2003); Nairobi, Kenya (2007) ; Algiers, Algeria (2011); Cape Town, South Africa (2013); and Mauritius in 2019. The foundation work by the members of AFLAR have made it possible to launch efforts towards establishment of the Pediatric arm of AFLAR (PAFLAR).

Africa is known to have diversity in culture. This diversity percolates through all facets including the clinical symptomatology of patients, clinico-epidemiological profiles and response to therapy for many diseases. Pediatric Rheumatology is no exception to this. This offers a unique opportunity for clinicians in the continent who treat children with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs) to pull their resources and skills together to come up with strategies to improve the outcomes for our patients.

The Core Mandate

In light of the above, under the leadership of AFLAR, a taskforce was appointed to establish the Pediatric arm of AFLAR at the AFLAR Scientific Congress held in Mauritius September 2019. Its core mandate is to establish the structural frameworks for its operations and formulate a strategic plan to promote a world where children with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases have the same and optimal chance to live, grow and develop like their other normal counterparts. This can be achieved through effective strategies and programs that impact on the well-being of African children with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases through advocacy and enactment of policies adapted to the specificity of the African continent.

Through the support of AFLAR, an online survey among rheumatologists in Africa was carried out to come up with the key priority areas which were delineated as:

Strategic Priority Areas

01. Awareness

Raising awareness among medical students, residents and healthcare workers.

02. Registry

Establishment of an African Pediatric Rheumatology Registry.

03. Policy & Planning

Prioritize the pediatric rheumatological diseases in healthcare planning.

04. Collaboration

Collaborate with international pediatric rheumatology organizations.

05. Clinical Care

Establish clinical and community based care.

06. Guidelines

Establishing management guidelines.

07. Specialist Training

Establishing specialist training units for pediatric rheumatologists.

08. Research

Research.

09. Mentorship

Mentorship of pediatric rheumatology research fellows in Africa.

In order to tackle the above priority areas, plans are underway to begin online discussions to regularly discuss pediatric rheumatology cases across Africa. This e-learning project aims at empowering clinicians to care for children with RMDs on the continent. Participation in some of the global advocacy campaigns such as WORD day celebrations has increased in the continent. Members of the pediatric arm of AFLAR core working task force group African League Against Rheumatism (PAFLAR) committee have participated in regional meetings held to raise awareness for RMDs such as the University of Cape Town refresher course. Other regional meetings across Africa are scheduled for later in the year. The official launch of PAFLAR’s strategic plan is scheduled for 2021 during the AFLAR scientific conference scheduled to be held in Kenya 2021. We hope that this will lay the framework for the growth of pediatric rheumatology in Africa.

The Team

Prof. Wafa Hamdi

PROF. WAFA HAMDI

Vice-President

Professor of Rheumatology

Faculty of Medicine, Tunis El Manar University
Head of Rheumatology Department, Kassab Institute of Orthopedics Ksar Said
Coordinator of Postgraduate Diploma "Musculoskeletal diseases of Children and Adolescent" at the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis

Tunisia

Prof. Francis Fredrick Furia

PROF. FRANCIS FREDRICK FURIA

Secretary

Associate Professor and HoD

Dept of Paed and Child Health, MUHAS
Medical Specialist, Muhimbili National Hospital

Tanzania

Prof. Djohra Hadef

PROF. DJOHRA HADEF

Vice Secretary

Paediatric Rheumatologist

Faculty of Medicine, Batna 2 University
Department of Pediatrics, CHU Batna

Batna, Algeria

Dr. Ouma Devi Koussougbo

DR. OUMA DEVI KOUSSOUGBO

Treasurer

MBBS, Master of Clinical Medicine Rheumatology

Senior Specialist Rheumatology / Physical Medicine

Mauritius

Dr. Molla Adelene Apondi Lollah

DR. MOLLA ADELENE APONDI LOLLAH

Vice Treasurer

Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care Doctor

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital

Kenya

Angela Migowa

ANGELA MIGOWA

Chair, Paediatric AFLAR Core Working Task Force Group

EPLS Instructor (RCUK), MBChB (UON), MMed Paediatrics and Child Health (AKUHN), MMed Pediatric Rheumatology (McGill University Health Centre)

Assistant Professor, Paediatric Rheumatology
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
Aga Khan University (East Africa)
P.O. Box 30270 (00100)

Nairobi, Kenya

Prof. Soad Hashad

PROF. SOAD HASHAD

National Coordinator, Libya

Associate Professor (University of Tripoli), Paediatric Rheumatologist

Tripoli Children Hospital (TCH)
Head of Scientific Committee LRS
Research Coordinator & Residency Program Coordinator, Libyan Council of Subspecialty

Tripoli, Libya

Christiaan Scott

CHRISTIAAN SCOTT

Member, Paediatric AFLAR Core Working Task Force Group

MBChB, FCPaed (SA)

Professor Paediatric Rheumatology, University Cape Town
Senior Specialist, Paediatric Rheumatologist
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

Cape Town, South Africa

Dr. Freddie Jeffery George Coker

DR. FREDDIE JEFFERY GEORGE COKER

Consultant Paediatrician

Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP)

Deputy Director for Directorate of Research and Training
University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex

Sierra Leone

Madeleine Ngandeu

MADELEINE NGANDEU

Member, Paediatric AFLAR Core Working Task Force Group

MD, MMed

Professor of Adult Rheumatology
Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities
The University of Yaoundé I
P.O Box: 5305

Yaoundé, Cameroon

Yassmin Taha

YASSMIN TAHA

Member, Paediatric AFLAR Core Working Task Force Group

MBBS (University of Khartoum), MRCP, FRCPCH, CCST(UK)

Consultant Paediatric Rheumatologist
Ahmed Gasim Children’s hospital

Khartoum, Sudan

Oscar Mwizerwa

OSCAR MWIZERWA

Secretary, Paediatric AFLAR Core Working Task Force Group

MBChB (NUR), MMed Paediatrics and Child Health (UR)

Department of Paediatrics
Kigali University Teaching Hospital
P.O Box 5820

Kigali, Rwanda

Evans Omallah

EVANS OMALLAH

PAFLAR Program Officer

BSc. Community Health and Development
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Nairobi, Kenya

Partners

  • Coach Consult Ltd.
  • International League of Associations for Rheumatology
  • JIR Winter School
  • Josephine Righa Advocates
  • Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters International
  • Pfizer Kenya
  • The African League Against Rheumatism
  • The Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi
  • The Kenya Paediatric Association