New Partnership with the University of Witwatersrand and its WITS Health Consortium

7 September 2020, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) Division for People and Social Inclusion is pleased to announce a new partnership and the University of Witwatersrand, based in Jonhannesburg, South Africa. UNITAR and the University, acting through its Wits Health Consortium (WHC), have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), collaborating within the context of UNITAR’s Global Surgery Platform.

WHC, wholly owned by the University of the Witwatersrand, is primarily engaged in pursuing research, donor-activities, and innovative entrepreneurial endeavours for the University and its Faculty of Health Sciences. The University, and WHC, aim to empower academics and researchers to pursue specialist research in varying fields of expertise. UNITAR is glad to partner with them for pursuing the goals of sustainable and accessible global surgery.

The MoU emphasizes the commitment to improving and building capacities and innovative training programmes in the space of global surgery, organizing national surgical, obstetrical and anaesthesia planning, universal health coverage, promotion of non-technical skills for surgical staff, and sustainable development in global surgery. The MOU also encourages the organization of joint projects and studies, and international conferences and symposia.

UNITAR and the Global Surgery Platform are to work with WHC on this mission of ensuring sustainability in global surgery and access to safe surgical care for all.