The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) held its 24th Annual Conference at Hilton Hotel on 15th through 17th February, 2016. The three days event was considered an opportunity for the more than 260 members of the Society, partners, researchers and other invited guests to meet and share views on From MDGS to SDGs: Reinvigorating the Role of ESOG, among other issues.
The annual conference officially kicked off on the second day, i.e., 16th February, 2016. The official opening of the conference brought together members of the Society, partners, and invited guests both from local and international institutions including the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) represented by HE Dr. Kebede Worku, state minister. Also present were Dr. Dereje Negussie, president of ESOG, Dr. Yirgu G. Hiwot, the past president of the African Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AFOG) and officer for the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), Dr. Thomas Gelhaus, president elect for the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and Pr. Aristidis Antsaklis, former president for the World Association of Perinatal Medicine.
“The contributions of ESOG are both at the policy level as well as operational levels. FMoH is very keen to collaborate with ESOG in every way possible in the years to come,” said Dr. Kebede in his opening remarks.
The President’s remarks reviewed generally on the activities undertaken by the Society the past year: the CDC funded project of PMTCT; the UNFPA funded project of Sexual Assault Clinical Outreach Project and the ongoing collaboration between ESOG and ACOG for the establishment of the Ethiopian College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ECOG) are among the issues Dr. Dereje dwelled on during his opening speech.
“As the sector’s stakeholder, ESOG is gearing up to stand up to the challenge, and contribute its share with the involvement of its members and in collaboration with its partners,” the President assured the gathering.
The bilateral collaboration between ESOG and ACOG for the establishment of ECOG was duly noted by none other than Dr. Thomas, the other personality who took the podium for a keynote address. The collaboration that started at ACOG’s office in Washington, USA on December 7, 2015 continued at ESOG’s office on February 14-15, 2016, according to the President Elect. These two meetings are meant to result in a five year project in which both organizations will partner.
“ACOG will provide support under ESOG’s lead… bring many of our experts and staff to provide that support,” said Dr. Thomas.
As the past president of the African Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology and recent elect the officer for FIGO, Dr. Yirgu also addressed the gathering. Dr. Yirgu, on the other hand, focused on the unfinished agenda of MDG 5. “For us [sub-Saharan Africa] MDG 5 continues to be an unfinished agenda,” he said. Dr. Yirgu was referring to the two third of the about 303,000 maternal deaths, which are reported to have been from the region.
Opening and keynote speeches were not the only faces of the 24th Annual Conference of ESOG. The three days even was also accompanied by Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) on Perinatal Medicine and Diagnostic Ultrasound, Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR), Urinary Stress Inconsistence, MEC, Abortion Care and Zika Virus during Pregnancy, all of which were conducted on February 15 and Gynecology Oncology on February 17, 2016.
The business meeting among members of the Society was the other happening at the Conference. Members thoroughly deliberated on the newly drafted social welfare constitution and the growing trend of medical liability among medical professionals in Ethiopia.
As one typical to ESOG’s Conferences, the 24th Annual Conference of ESOG was not concluded without a series of scientific paper presentations by gynecologists and obstetricians from various institutions around the country and thorough deliberations on them.
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