2025 in review: South African Metabolic Medicine and Surgery Society (SAMMSS)

SAMMSS achieved a significant milestone in 2025, publishing the first ever South African Obesity Guidelines. 

The South African Metabolic Medicine and Surgery Society (SAMMSS) aims to improve health delivery in South Africa and the African continent by improving knowledge around aspects of obesity and related diseases, including prevention and treatment through the promotion of training and working with official bodies. Read more about their year below.

Highlights of 2025

In 2025 SAMMSS welcomed Dr Nomathemba Chandiwana to the SAMMSS EXCO. She is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and has been co-opted to join the SAMMSS EXCO. She will be leading the Research Portfolio for SAMMSS and has already been worth gold regarding setting up resources for SAMMSS members, planning how research is curated within SAMMSS, and especially in assisting with establishing patient advocacy within the society.

South African Metabolic Surgery Accreditation (SAMSA)

Our very first SAMMSS aim was to set-up South African Metabolic Surgery Accreditation (SAMSA) to allow for training and accreditation of Teams to provide metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) to the South African population. Twelve previously accredited Teams have migrated to SAMMSS (8 Proventi, 4 SASSO) with the latest migration being our Bloemfontein Team. Our SAMMSS registry (the SAM registry) is up and running and all operated cases are now entered into the registry. 

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Society Affiliations

Regarding society affiliations, we had a successful engagement with World Ovesity and national stakeholders at the November Cape Town MAPPSS II meeting. Stakeholder (industry and medical insurer) engagement is ongoing. Priorities here include to open MBS coverage to lower plans, to reduce co-payments, to explore alternative renumeration strategies (global fees) and to assist with access to obesity management medication. The emphasis in current talks is to scrutinise cost, cost-effectiveness and QALY gained with different treatment strategies.

South African Obesity Guidelines

We are most proud to announce the publication of the first ever South African Obesity Guidelines in the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ) in November 2025. Dr Wayne May and Dr Marli Conradie-Smit lead the effort graciously and effectively and thus a huge congratulations and thank you to the two of them. Congratulations and thank you also to our nationwide committee members.

The guidelines will assist greatly in all of our ongoing efforts to establish obesity as a treatable chronic disease in South Africa. The society will now plan a 2026 roadshow to showcase and introduce the guidelines across the country and via as many channels as possible.

READ THE FULL GUIDELINES

Congresses

We had a strong presence at the 2025 South African Society of Endoscopic Surgeons (SASES) Congress and are hoping for a similar presence at the 2026 SEMDSA and SASES congresses.

The first South Africa obesity (multidisciplinary) congress is planned within the next few years – please keep an eye out for these and come and join us!