The International Federation of Surgical Colleges was established in 1958 as a neutral institute that would speak with a single voice for world surgery.
[citation needed] It organises an annual meeting which, in the 1970s, was regularly held at WHO headquarters.
[3] It is involved in the Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care.
Since 1997 it has run surgical courses and workshops in sub-Saharan Africa.
It assists with the establishment of National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Planning in less developed countries.