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International associations strive for ophthalmic excellence in Middle East, Africa
 Manal Taryam |
ABU DHABI — The vast area covered by the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology encompasses great differences, but attaining excellence in ophthalmology is a unifying goal that provides an element of cohesion, a physician said here.
"We cover the entire Middle East and Africa, with the wide variety of their languages, cultures, religions and socio-political systems. This is of course challenging when it comes to putting our mission into practice," Manal Taryam, MD, vice president of World Ophthalmology Congress 2012 and MEACO board member said in an interview with Ocular Surgery News at the World Ophthalmology Congress.
"In designing training programs, we have to take into account the individual needs of all countries, what their requirements are, what and how they want to learn, and what is approved by their governments. The same applies to residency programs, as we need to make sure that they are recognized by the education authorities in each country," Dr. Taryam said.
MEACO provides financial support in countries that lack funding for educational programs, she said.
Fighting preventable blindness and visual impairment is a particularly critical goal in certain areas, and MEACO helps to organize awareness campaigns and screening programs.
Dr. Taryam also emphasized the importance of support provided by Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) within the MEACO region.
"In the United Arab Emirates, 70% of ophthalmologists are women. There are no barriers here to having access to training and working opportunities. But there are countries where discrimination exists, and WIO is giving a great contribution in the battle for equality," she said.
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