Expanding Our Reach in 2026
Rheumatology For All is excited to broaden its activities in 2026.
Starting in January 2026, we will contribute to a monthly virtual tutorial program for the rheumatology fellowship in Accra, Ghana. This program, established by Dr. Dzifa Dey, serves a country with only two practicing rheumatologists, one of whom is based far from the capital. Our support will help strengthen fellowship training and may be complemented by an in-person visit, as previously done in Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Penyelaa Couto, internist from Mozambique.
Additional initiatives are in development across countries with a critical shortage of rheumatologists that have requested Rheumatology For All’s support.
With the assistance of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) International Development Aid and Collaboration Grant, we are sponsoring an internist from Mozambique, Penyelaa Couto, to undertake adult rheumatology fellowship training in Cape Town, South Africa, beginning in February 2026. Currently, there is only one rheumatologist in Mozambique, a country of over thirty-five million people. Her impact will be considerable as she is committed to teaching local physicians in addition to treating patients who until now have no access to rheumatology care. We are also exploring the sponsorship of an additional pediatric rheumatology fellowship from another country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Recognized in Leading Journals
Dr. Dzifa Dey, President of the African League of Associations of Rheumatology, and Dr. Hodkinson published an editorial entitled “Bridging the Rheumatology Resource Gap in Africa” in Clinical Rheumatology (February 2025). In this piece, they highlighted the contributions of Rheumatology For All, including:
- Sponsorship of one pediatric and two adult Ethiopian physicians for fellowship training in rheumatology
- Delivery of an online virtual rheumatology education program to the University of Rwanda
These initiatives are helping to build sustainable local capacity in rheumatology care.
A 2024 review article in Pediatric Rheumatology, “Pediatric Rheumatology Education: The Virtual Frontier – A Review,” emphasized that millions of children in low-resource countries with chronic musculoskeletal conditions remain undiagnosed and untreated. Rheumatology For All was recognized for its role in strengthening pediatric rheumatology capacity in Africa, with the potential to improve disease recognition and outcomes for affected children.
Members of the Rheumatology For All Board, together with Dr. Florence Masaisa, Chair of Internal Medicine at the University of Rwanda, recently published, “Implementation and Evaluation of a Virtual Rheumatology Training Program in East Africa” in the Journal of Rheumatology. This article described the virtual rheumatology course delivered to Rwandan internal medicine residents from 2021–2024 and shared feedback from both trainees and faculty. The accompanying editorial by Professor Robert Moots (University of Liverpool), “Developing Rheumatology in Sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing the Challenges,” commended Rheumatology For All for engaging African and international rheumatologists, tailoring content to local realities, and advocating for expanded rheumatology education across the region.
With Gratitude
We are deeply grateful to our volunteers, collaborators, and donors. Everyone’s support enables Rheumatology For All to advance its mission of increasing access to high-quality rheumatology care in resource-limited settings. We especially want to highlight the continued financial support from Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates.
Your contributions are making a real and lasting difference.
- References
Dey, D., Hodkinson, B. Bridging the rheumatology resource gap in Africa. Clinical Rheumatology 44, 1397–1402 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-025-07362-7 - McColl, J., Mwizerwa, O., Scott, C. et al. Pediatric rheumatology education: the virtual frontier a review. Pediatric Rheumatology 22, 60 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-024-00978-0
- Hitchon CA, Scuccimarri R, Colmegna I, Masaisa F, Mody GM; Meltzer M and the Rheumatology For All Rwanda Program Group. Implementation and Evaluation of a Virtual Rheumatology Training Program in East Africa. The Journal of Rheumatology.
2025 Oct 1;52(10):1043-1049. - Robert J. Moots, Developing Rheumatology in Sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing the Challenges, The Journal of Rheumatology Oct 2025, 52 (10) 964-965.
