Esteemed Colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the 3^rd congress and scientific meeting of Association of West African Societies of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AWASOG). The event comes up in Lagos Nigeria from 28^th – 31^st August 2024. 

Following the inauguration of AWASOG on 17^th February 2020, the association has striven tirelessly and painstakingly to live up to its mandate for which, I commend the entire members of the executive committee that have committed individually and collectively to achieve the task. Let us recall that at the highly successful second congress of the association held in Abuja, Nigeria, in November 2022, members of council were nominated and inaugurated. It has been the collective decision of both Exco and Council to move on to the next level towards actualizing our objective by approving the forthcoming congress.

A lot of nuts are been tied, T’s crossed and I’s dotted to ensure that the objects and targets of our ‘Next level Agenda’ are actualized. It is the intention of the association to give the desired identity to individual members and also showcase the first edition of our journal both of which speak to our goal and objectives; mission and vision.

The theme of the 2024 congress is “Strengthening Women’s Health in the West African sub region”, and has been chosen in recognition of the despicable nature of women’s health in the sub region and the need to call our attention towards its address.
The four sub themes – Family Planning and Demographic Challenges; Respectful Maternity Care ;Gender Issues in Reproductive Health in the West African Sub region; and ‘Combating the scourge of Malaria in Pregnancy’ have also been carefully chosen taking cognizance of the relative importance of these subject matters as contemporary health issues in the sub region. It is my candid expectation that as many of us as possible will make presentations that speak to these theme and subthemes, I also expect partners in reproductive health , sexual and reproductive rights, including pharmaceutical agencies will subscribe to this conference through sponsorship of presentations, exhibitions and other aspects of the event.

The invitation to this conference is been extended to every Obstetrician and Gynecologist in the Sub region and the diaspora that we can lay hands on their contacts, and it is my appeal that all of us who are fellows and associate fellows participate to enable us galvanize appropriately to make a success of our aim and objectives.It is my unflinching optimism, considering the package proposed by the organizing committee that this 3^rd outing of the association would be very exciting, and a conference that should not be missed by any Obstetrician and Gynecologist in the West African Sub region. Once more, I welcome you all to the forthcoming event.

Prof J. I. Brian-D Adinma
President, Association of West African Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AWASOG)