OSWI 28th Annual Conference opens in Guyana

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, July 6, 2017

The 28^th Annual Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies (OSWI) Conference is being held at the Marriot International Hotel in Guyana. The regional symposium brings together for four-days, eminent teams of ophthalmic surgeons and clinicians, nurses and technicians, ophthalmic pharmaceutical and equipment distributors, from across the region, towards promoting the best eye-care.

The focus of the Conference is the prevention and eradication of blindness in the region, through the fostering of lifelong ophthalmic education and research, and cultural exchange amongst ophthalmologists in the Caribbean.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence delivering remarks at the opening of the conference, restated the Guyana’s Government commitment to providing the best healthcare for its populace.

Speaking specifically about providing quality eye and vision care for Guyana, the Minister reiterated that this is a key priority for the Ministry.

The Minister said that the expectations are high that the outcome of the conference will further the government’s effort, particularly as it is expected to promote capacity-building among stakeholders involved in the provision of eye care services in Guyana.

On that note, she expressed satisfaction that the Conference’s mission embodies measures to mitigate visual impairment through the dissemination of information, workshops and dialogue among the ophthalmologists in the Region.

“Providing eye care services constitutes an important dimension of delivering comprehensive primary health care and in the long term contributes to economic growth, development and sustainability. As the onus of visual impairment decreases in our populations, our social and economic well-being is enhanced, which brings us ever closer to the realisation of our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)….. We must invest at all costs and intensify our efforts to overcome the prevalence of visual impairment”, the Health Minister said.

President of the OSWI, Dr. Nigel Barker in his remarks expressed pleasure that the Organisation is hosting the

Conference in Guyana, after two failed attempts in previous years. He noted that the OSWI has conducted missions in Guyana before and hopes that the OSWI will be able to better serve the country in the future.

Additionally, an Ophthalmology exhibition which displays equipment and related products is also being held.

The OSWI, the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies is the principal regional voice for Ophthalmology in the West Indies and is rapidly becoming the recongised authority in eye and vision care.

OSWI was founded by a group of Caribbean Ophthalmologists 1990. It brings together ophthalmic clinicians, regional representatives, students, nurses, government, corporate and affiliate partners in its quest to eradicate and prevent blindness in the Caribbean.

The annual conference is held in a different country in the Caribbean each year.

 

By: Gabreila Patram