The 22nd Congress of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology was held from February 24 – 28, 2007, at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Lahore, Pakistan. Participation extended from all parts of the world. The scientific and social programs were very balanced, with a theme of “Vision for All”.
APAO Council
The informal, formal and general body meetings of the APAO Council were held on the first day of the Congress (February 24, 2007), chaired by Prof Yasuo Tano, APAO President, and conducted by Prof Dennis Lam, APAO Secretary-General. The meetings received enthusiastic participation from all member countries and their representative societies.
Welcome Reception
The delegates were welcomed on the evening of February 23, 2007, and a grand reception was hosted on the lawn of the Pearl Continental Hotel. The traditional music and themed dinner were the highlights of the evening. The informal, formal and general body meetings of the APAO Council were held on the first day of the Congress (February 24, 2007), chaired by Prof Yasuo Tano, APAO President, and conducted by Prof Dennis Lam, APAO Secretary-General. The meetings received enthusiastic participation from all member countries and their representative societies.
Scientific Programme
The scientific program included six named lectures, six keynote lectures, eight plenary sessions, 45 instruction courses, 12 symposia, 200 free papers and 60 posters. The live surgery sessions were relayed via satellite from state-of-the-art hospitals directly to Congress venue. The two-way question and answer function generated a lot of interest. The scientific program also included video sessions and phacoemulsification wet labs.
Inaugural Ceremony
The 22nd Congress of APAO 2007 was inaugurated by Prof Zafarullah Chaudhary, President of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan at Aiwan-e-Iqbal Hall, an architectural masterpiece built in memory of the great poet and thinker Dr Muhammad Iqbal. The Jose Rizal Medal was awarded to one of the council members, Prof M Daud Khan, at the ceremony. This was followed by a dinner for all the delegates.
Congress Banquet
The Congress Banquet was held on the evening of February 25 at a venue built 600 years ago by the Mughal Empire. The presentation of the APAO 2007 Distinguished Service Awards and Prevention of Blindness Awards was part of the ceremony. The flag handover ceremony was also held, and the flag was given to Prof Dennis Lam and his team for the APAO and WOC 2008 Congresses.
Golden Jubilee
The Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan was founded on December 19, 1957. The year 2007 was the society’s Golden Jubilee, which was much anticipated by all ophthalmologists in Pakistan. The Golden Jubilee ceremony was held on February 26, 2007, in the auditorium of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore. The lifetime achievement Gold Medal was awarded to Prof Raja Mumtaz, Patron of the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan. The ceremony was followed by a themed dinner representing the colors of Pakistan.
ICO Activities at APAO 2007
The presence of the International Council of Ophthalmology and its President Dr Bruce Spivey were appreciated by all the delegates from within Pakistan and abroad. ICO conducted a two-day Residency Program Director course and its first roundtable on Leadership Development.
ICO Leader Letter:
Highlights of the recent 22nd Congress of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) in Lahore, Pakistan include:
- presentation of the APAO’s highest award, the Jose Rizal Medal, to Council Member Mohammed Daud Khan, MD
- recognition of Xiaoxin Li, MD, Director of the Eye Center of the People’s Hospital of Peking University, with the ICO Golden Apple Award as the best clinical teacher in the Asia Pacific region
- the VIII Sir John Wilson Lecture, delivered by ICO President Bruce Spivey, MD, on “Change Required in Continuing Medical Education”
- the first ICO World Ophthalmology Roundtable on Leadership Development (WORLD), with 36 participants from 15 countries
- the fourth two-day ICO Course for Ophthalmology Residency Program Directors.
We appreciate the warm hospitality and professionalism of our hosts from the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan, which celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
For more details on the APAO Congress, see www.icoph.org/news/ifos0702.html.
Yasuo Tano, MD, ICO Treasurer
Exhibition
The trade exhibition featured more than 70 companies from all parts of the world. The exhibition was inaugurated by Prof Dennis Lam, APAO Secretary-General, on the evening of February 23, 2007. The layout of the booths, presentation and variety of products matched any international exhibition.
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