Regional Dermatology Youth Summit 2027

by | May 13, 2026 | Events, Uncategorized

 

 
CLICK TO REGISTER
CLICK TO SUBMIT ABSTRACT

Youth Leading the Future of Skin Health in the ECSA Region

Innovation. Equity. Impact.

Hosted by the Regional Dermatology Training Centre (RDTC) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania, bringing together young healthcare professionals, researchers, students, innovators, advocates, and policymakers from across the ECSA region to shape the future of skin health.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

A Defining Moment for Dermatology in Africa

Skin disease affects millions across East, Central, and Southern Africa, yet dermatology remains one of the most under-resourced areas of public health in the region. Young people, who represent over 60% of Africa’s population and carry a disproportionate burden of dermatological conditions, have largely been absent from the policy conversations and clinical systems designed to serve them. The ECSA Dermatology Regional Youth Summit 2027 is designed to change that, placing young people at the center of skin health transformation across the region.

Convened by the RDTC, with over 30 years of experience training dermatology specialists across African nations, and the ECSA-HC inter-governmental network, the summit leverages unmatched regional infrastructure to move dermatology from the margins of health policy to the heart of youth-focused healthcare.

Set against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, the summit reimagines skin health as a youth-led movement where science, equity, and action converge, bridging the consulting room and the community, the laboratory and the policy floor, across the full spectrum of challenges facing young Africans today.

SUMMIT THEMATIC AREAS

Arusha, Tanzania   |   Date: 9–10 January 2027   |   Hosts: RDTC & ECSA-HC

– Youth leadership & advocacy

– Mental health & social inclusion

– Climate change & skin health

– Entrepreneurship in dermatology

– Clinical & public health dermatology

– Sexual & reproductive health integration

– Digital health & innovation

– Neglected tropical diseases & NCDs

SUMMIT OBJECTIVES

What We Aim to Achieve

Each objective maps directly to a thematic area of the summit, ensuring every session, workshop, and conversation moves the ECSA region closer to a youth-led skin health movement grounded in advocacy, evidence, and action.

Youth Leadership & Advocacy

Formally establish the ECSA youth network in dermatology and launch the Dermatology Youth Mentorship Programme creating lasting peer structures that empower young people to lead skin health advocacy, influence policy, and drive community action well beyond the summit itself.

Clinical & Public Health Dermatology

Build frontline capacity through hands-on workshops in the identification and management of common skin conditions including skin infections, skin cancers, and conditions affecting people with albinism strengthening early diagnosis and intervention at the primary-care level.

Mental Health & Social Inclusion

Tackle the psychosocial burden of visible skin conditions such as acne, vitiligo, and albinism, by confronting the social exclusion, depression, and anxiety they produce. Foster inclusive narratives that reduce stigma and support the full participation of affected youth in society.
 
 

Sexual & Reproductive Health Integration

Examine the intersection of skin health and SRH, with particular focus on how skin discrimination and harmful bleaching practices drive unsafe sexual behaviours among young people. Build cross-sectoral, youth-centred strategies that address these compounded vulnerabilities together.
 

Climate Change & Skin Health

Explore the growing dermatological burden driven by rising temperatures, increased UV radiation, and climate-related environmental changes across the ECSA region, equipping delegates with evidence and tools to address skin cancers and heat-related dermatoses within broader climate adaptation frameworks.
 

 

Digital Health & Innovation

Showcase and incubate digital solutions from teledermatology platforms to AI-assisted diagnostic tools, that can extend quality dermatological care to underserved and rural communities. Connect youth innovators with the technical and institutional resources needed to bring their work to scale.
 

 

Entrepreneurship in Dermatology

Create a platform for youth entrepreneurs and dermatology practitioners to share ventures, exchange experiences, and explore sustainable business models in skin health inspiring the next generation of innovators and social entrepreneurs to bridge clinical expertise and enterprise.

 

 
 

Neglected Tropical Diseases & NCDs

Elevate the dermatological dimensions of neglected tropical diseases alongside non-communicable skin conditions, through regional research partnerships and community-level awareness strategies that address the full spectrum of skin disease burden.