The Global Surgery Foundation Welcomes Ms. Stella Itungu as Chair of the High-Level Council
Ms. Stella Itungu, CEO of COSECSA, brings decades of leadership in regional health sector development to guide the Global Surgery Foundation's strategic initiatives and amplify frontline voices.
Building Global Leadership for Surgical Care
The Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) is proud to announce the appointment of Ms. Stella Itungu as the Chair of its High-Level Council. A distinguished leader in regional integration and health sector development, Ms. Itungu brings decades of high-level expertise to the mission of ensuring safe surgical care for all.
Ms. Itungu currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). In this capacity, she leads operations to improve and promote excellence in surgical care while supporting the professional growth of surgeons across the region through education, research, and advocacy.
For Dr. Geoff Ibbotson, Executive Director of the Global Surgery Foundation, this on-the-ground experience is invaluable. "At the Global Surgery Foundation, we believe that global solutions must be driven by local realities," he noted. "The High-Level Council guarantees that the voices of frontline surgical providers actively guide our activities. Ms. Itungu's first-hand experience supporting surgical capacity across Africa brings an essential, ground-level perspective to our highest strategic discussions."
“The High-Level Council guarantees that the voices of frontline surgical providers actively guide our activities.”
A Multilateral Career Championing Equity
Ms. Itungu assumes this leadership role with over 20 years of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder, and multi-country programmes. Her extensive background includes a decade working with the World Bank under the East African Community (EAC), as well as collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), serving on the Board of the AO Alliance in Switzerland, and directing operations for a Global Fund pilot project in Uganda.
Reflecting the equity imperative of the Foundation's work, Ms. Itungu pairs this multilateral operational rigor with recognized advocacy for inclusive healthcare. In 2022, she was named an Honorary Member of Women in Surgery Africa (WiSA) for her profound commitment to supporting women in the surgical field.
“I look forward to continue working with the Council to ensure GSF’s strategies translate into tangible results for the communities that need it most.”
Emphasizing the importance of this collaborative, inclusive approach, Ms. Itungu expressed her commitment to the Foundation's mission: "I am deeply honored to assume the role of Chair for the High-Level Council," she said. "I look forward to continue working collaboratively with the Foundation's diverse stakeholders to ensure our strategies are guided by the frontline voices and translate into tangible capacity building, stronger health systems, and equitable access to surgical care for the communities that need it most. I believe the Global Surgery Foundation has a unique opportunity to shift surgery from the margins of global health financing to the center of health system strengthening"
Bringing Together World-Leading Actors in Global Surgery
The Global Surgery Foundation’s High-Level Council (HLC) is a key governance body that brings together some of the world’s leading actors in global surgery from governments, academia, foundations, private sector, and non-governmental organizations. The HLC provides a strong, constituency-based forum for stakeholder engagement and strategic guidance, ensuring direct communication and accountability.
Ms. Itungu brings both visionary strategy and operational rigor to the HLC. Under her leadership, the HLC will provide the Foundation with robust direction in the development of strategies, ensuring that all activities remain strictly aligned with frontline needs and the mission to close the surgical care gap and elevate surgical care to the highest levels of global decision-making.
About the GSF High-Level Council
The Global Surgery Foundation’s High-Level Council (HLC) is a key governance body that brings together some of the world’s leading actors in global surgery from governments, academia, foundations, private sector, and non-governmental organizations. Chaired by Ms. Stella Itungu, Chief Executive Officer of COSECSA, the HLC provides a strong, constituency-based forum for stakeholder engagement and strategic guidance. The Council represents a diverse array of global health constituencies, ensuring direct communication, engagement, and accountability for all partners and supporting agencies. Together, they provide the Foundation with robust leadership and advice in the development of strategies, ensuring that all activities remain strictly aligned with frontline needs and the organization's mission to close the surgical care gap.
