The name African Society of Dermatology and Venereology (ASDV) was coined at a meeting held in Kenya in 2014 which had African dermatologists in attendance. It was agreed by all present that there was a need for African Dermatologists to have an umbrella body uniting all African dermatologists with the aim of improving the quality of skin care of Africans, particularly through research and training. Those present included dermatologists from Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana. The last World Congress of Dermatology in Vancouver (Canada) in June 2015 provided an opportunity for another meeting of African dermatologists. This meeting was initiated by some of the members of the initial group that had met in Kenya, who were present in Vancouver. The meeting in Vancouver was chaired by Dr Evans Kamuri from Kenya. At this meeting, 35 African dermatologists were able to attend at such short notice; Interim executives were elected and mandated to go ahead and register the association, since the initial group had worked and developed a bi-lingual constitution for the society. The interim executives were charged to lead the society and arrange an inaugural scientific meeting in 2016. Thereafter, plans for elections of a substantive ASDV executive would be undertaken in Nigeria. At the meeting, it was also decided that the 1st scientific meeting of the society will be held in Abuja, Nigeria from the 12th – 16th July 2016 and it will be held in conjunction with the 10th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Association of Dermatologists. An email account and letterhead logo for the society was created and gradually a mailing list has been built up of African dermatologists based on contacts made individually and through contacts at conferences and societies across Africa
