- Sidra Medicine, host of the WOFAPS 2019, brings junior Surgeons and Specialists from countries with limited resources to learn from leading global figures
- Hi-Tech and advanced communications facilitate collaborations and democratize healthcare
- Live Surgeries and workshops provide specialists with technical learning opportunities and a platform for development and networking
Doha, Qatar, 3 November 2019: Sidra Medicine today concluded the 6th World Congress of the World Federation of Associations of Pediatric Surgeons (WOFAPS 2019) congress at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). Considered the first ever WOFAPS to take place in the Middle East and one of the largest international medical events, the Congress was attended by more than 800 delegates from 80 countries.
WOFAPS 2019 was held under the theme: “Collaboration, Education and Training: Moving Beyond Borders”, hosting a series of dedicated presentations and sessions on three main pillars related to pediatric surgery; state-of-the-art treatment in a resource-rich setting, optimal treatment in a resource-constrained setting, and complications, and how they should be handled.
Dr. Mansour Ali, Executive Chair of Surgery at Sidra Medicine and Co-Chair of the WOFAPS 2019 Organizing Committee said: “It gives me great pride to see Sidra Medicine host such a global event with the immense amount of knowledge and expertise in both local and visiting surgeons and doctors that participated in this conference. This year’s theme encapsulates our commitment at Sidra Medicine to progressing regional healthcare in general, and surgery for children in specific. Training, education, and access to hi-end technologies are all key to ensure every child receives the treatment they need. This is the ethical stance that WOFAPS takes and it reciprocates our vision.”
The WOFAPS is an endeavor to bring surgeons from around the world to work together towards the promotion of high standard pediatric surgery, encouragement of ethical practices, improvement of education and training of junior pediatric surgeons, and development of pediatric surgical research.
With an objective to create a platform for technical training and to leverage the bright minds who have gathered in Doha, the conference saw a series of six pre and post congress workshops, including live surgeries, a dedicated urological scientific meeting, and full day urology sessions.
The workshops learning outcomes focused on describing; the etiology of the disease or surgical need, the state of evidence and practice standard, at least one of the common challenges, and one difference in surgical management related to occurrence in a high or low resource country.
Visiting delegate, Dr. Suad Abul, Pediatric Surgeon and Director of Medical Licensing at the Ministry of Health in Kuwait, said: “The WOFAPS 2019 program was designed to focus on surgical best practices and to identify the way forward for surgical diseases that threaten the quality and life expectancy of children. The Middle East region presents a huge disparity in healthcare, and this is where WOFAPS serves to fill the gap, offering access to wellbeing to people everywhere, especially in this part of the world”.
Prof. David Sigalet, Chief of Patient Services at Sidra Medicine and President of WOFAPS 2019 said: “The WOFAPS 2019 was a very successful congress. There have been several discussions between healthcare practitioners, private sector organisations, surgeons, and policy makers that all agree to the importance of collaboration for training and nurturing calibers.”
“Technology and research advances must be used to make high quality healthcare services accessible by everyone, including resource-constrained countries. I believe there will be a number of fruitful collaborations announced soon from this meeting, and I am looking forward for the upcoming round in Prague, Czech Republic in October 2022.” Prof. Sigalet concluded.
Read the Arabic here.
For additional details please visit the links below or WOFAPS on www.wofaps.org.
1 November: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/october/wofaps-2019-congress-launches-at-the-qatar-natio/
30 October: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/october/sidra-medicine-successfully-operates-on-four-pat/
14 October: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/october/wofaps-2019-now-accredited-for-group-learning-ac/
3 September: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/september/sidra-medicine-to-host-international-workshop-on/
28 May: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/may/registrations-to-wofaps-2019-now-live/
1April: https://www.sidra.org/media/newsroom/2019/april/sidra-medicine-to-host-6th-world-congress-of-ped/
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