A two-day hands-on Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection training programme held on 18–19 June 2026 brought together gastroenterologists from across the Middle East and North Africa, with Saudi physicians participating alongside regional colleagues in advanced therapeutic and third-space endoscopy techniques delivered on a live animal model.
Hands-on ESD teaching at the Pentax Medical 4K endoscopy tower — SGA × Pentax Medical MENA Forward Academy, 18–19 June 2026.
As part of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association's continued commitment to advancing endoscopy education and fostering regional collaboration, SGA partnered with the Pentax Medical MENA Forward Academy in a hands-on live-animal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) training programme, held on 18–19 June 2026. The programme brought together gastroenterologists from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to strengthen expertise in advanced therapeutic endoscopy.
The course was led by Dr. Hasan Yılmaz, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology at Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine and Kocaeli University Hospital, Türkiye, together with Dr. Rasheed Alkhiari, Associate Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterologist and Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopist at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The faculty delivered comprehensive hands-on ESD training using a live animal model under anaesthesia, while sharing their expertise in advanced therapeutic and third-space endoscopy.
Advancing therapeutic endoscopy education, strengthening regional collaboration, and supporting the development of advanced endoscopic expertise across the MENA region.
Representing Saudi Arabia, Dr. Omar Alrasheedi from King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Qassim, and Dr. Baraa Abuzenada from King Faisal Medical Complex, Taif, participated alongside physicians from across the MENA region, gaining valuable practical experience in advanced ESD techniques.
ESD sits at the frontier of therapeutic endoscopy, offering en-bloc resection of early gastrointestinal neoplasia and complex mucosal lesions in a manner that increasingly displaces open and laparoscopic surgery for eligible patients. Building regional capacity in this technique requires structured, hands-on training on models that faithfully replicate the tactile and technical demands of live tissue — precisely the training format the MENA Forward Academy is designed to deliver.
This collaboration between the Saudi Gastroenterology Association and Pentax Medical MENA Forward Academy reflects a shared commitment to advancing therapeutic endoscopy education, strengthening regional collaboration, and supporting the development of advanced endoscopic expertise across the MENA region — with Saudi physicians actively contributing to a regional educational initiative that aligns with SGA's strategic priority of positioning the Kingdom as a reference for advanced therapeutic endoscopy across the wider MENA landscape.
