Sponsel Foundation encourages ISGS support

                                     for BIPIA COE efforts in Africa...

 

In a letter to the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery (ISGS), Dr. Sponsel reported that a major opportunity existed for the Society to participate as surgeons and educators in surgical outreach missions to various countries in Africa.

 

To pique the interest of Society members for supporting the opportunity he is proposing, Dr. Sponsel reported that over the last two decades well staffed and architecturally beautiful clinical facilities have been built in various African countries to support the worldwide effort to fight the aids epidemic in Africa.  Dr. Sponsel offered that hese facilities and staff are now open to ISGS members for serving rotations as visiting eye surgeons as well as for educating opthalmologists there.  The emphasis for ISGS surgeons would be to provide eye care services for children needing eye care and for their families.

 

The stage set, Dr Sponsel continued by describing the opportunity or concept that he heped to present at the International Congress on Glaucoma Surgery (ICGS) that he had attended in Singapore.  The opportunity presented revolved around ISGS member groups around the world partnering with Baylor International Pediatric Aids Initiative Centers of Excellence (BIPIA COE) to support the Centers' pre-arranged partnership missions to provide pediatric and family eye care with countries that responded to BIPAI questionaires/offers.  Participating countries include Botswana; Lesotho; Malawi; Mwanza, Tanzania; Mbeya, Tanzania; and Ghana [UNC/Duke].  BIPAI Centers of Excellence themselves arose from a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

 

The partnership arrangement with participating countries would involve conducting 1-2 week long missions 3-4 times a year at MOH hospitals within participating countries.

 

The Concept was immediately and excitedly welcomed by the international community represented in ICGS.  After his Powerpoint presentation, Dr. Sponsel was approached by Dr's. from India, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Singapore, England, and other countries represented at the ICGS to offer their support.  Other's in the ISGS community have not only only offered support but have also offered suggestions for incorporating, for example, genetic data collected from ongoing studies in the United States and other countries to help determine the genetic cause of PCG; or, offered support for extending the program into French speaking areas of Africa.