Rheumatology for All

Rfa successfully sponsored two ethiopian physicians for a fellowship in Rheumatology in durban, south africa. They completed the fellowship and returned to ethiopia in 2021. They are fulfilling our mandate to teach local physicians and provide Rheumatology care. Already, they are seeing up to 150 patients a week in Rheumatology clinic where they supervise medical residents. Rfa is now sponsoring a pediatrician for training in pediatric Rheumatology in capetown, south africa. She will complete her training in january 2024 and return to ethiopia to be the first and only pediatric rheumatologist in ethiopia.

In 2019 rfa started a visiting professor in ethiopia. Two volunteer rheumatologists provided one month block of intense Rheumatology training for five to six medical residents in ethiopia. This was repeated twice. Begining in the spring of 2021 rfa provided a virtual visiting professor program for the medical residents of university of rwanda. In the spring of 2023 three adult rheumatologists and one pediatric rheumatologist did in person Rheumatology training for one week in kigali, rwanda. As a result of this program, rfa now has a virtual case of the month meeting with the medical residents of kigali.