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PAAO Congress unites region despite world events
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Physicians from Latin America, Canada and the United States gathered here this past weekend as the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology began its 24th scientific congress.
The Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology, organized by Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO), started with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding members in the field. Congress president George Arzeno, MD, acknowledged current world events by noting a “dark shadow over this Congress,” and thanked attendees for their participation.
“Many people could not come because of world events, but we are grateful for being here. It’s important for medicine,” said Rubens Belfort Jr., MD, PhD, MBA, president of the PAAO.
Following PAAO’s 2005 congress in Chile, the event will become an annual congress to be held in Brazil on rotating years. Previously, the congress was held every other year. Dr. Belfort called the decision to make the congress an annual event “a sign of maturity and strength” for the region’s ophthalmologists.
Despite the accomplishments of the PAAO, however, Dr. Belfort said efforts to prevent blindness and expand vision correction are not succeeding among the region’s poor. In preventing blindness, the PAAO has been gaining support from organizations such as the Lions Club International and the Rotary Club.
“I’m sure in five years we’ll be proud of what we’re doing today,” he said.
Before the awards ceremony commenced, J. Brownyn Bateman, MD, was introduced as the next president of PAAO.