ISN in collaboration with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Ghana Kidney Association recently organized two Continuous Medical Education (CME) courses on kidney disease in children. The CME session in Cape Coast was the first renal event in the Central Region of Ghana where hemodialys is available but there are as yet no nephrologists.

Each course lasted two days and took place in Cape Coast and Accra. This was the first renal meeting in Ghana devoted to pediatric nephrology and the first renal meeting held in Cape Coast. Cape Coast University has a medical school (the fouth in Ghana) that is about to produce its first doctors. Many of the final year students were at the meeting.

Many of the talks were given by the local nephrologists – both pediatric and adult – covering such subjects as hypertension and acute kidney injury (AKI) in children in Ghana, chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy. The most successful aspect of this meeting was the combination of adult and pediatric topics. ISN Fellows Charlotte Osafo and Vincent Boima chaired a session and presented a talk on both days.

The meeting in Accra was held in the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons during the week of its Annual Scientific meeting, which provided an opportunity to heighten the profile of renal disease amongst health planners, leaders of the medical profession and others. There were interesting and relevant talks by the external speakers on pregnancy and renal disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome, vesico-uretic reflux, HIV renal disease and peritoneal dialysis in children with AKI, and mycobacterial diseases and the kidney.

Extensive discussions were held on developing an ISN, International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis and Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation program to develop peritoneal dialysis for treating AKI in children. The international visitors participated in ward rounds at Korle Bu Hospital in Accra and Komfo Anokye Hospital in Kumasi.