Guyana to host OSWI Conference 2017

The Public Health Ministry is set to facilitate the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies (OSWI) forum for the first time this year, after being awarded the honour of hosting the regional conference in Guyana.
The annual event which allows for the convening of vision-care practitioners and other stakeholders will be staged from July 5th to July 8th at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.
The Conference allows for the gathering of eye surgeons and clinicians, ophthalmic nurses and technicians, ophthalmic pharmaceutical and equipment distributors, as well as other affiliated partners within the region to advocate and promote policies and standards in the administering of vision care. At the same time, this initiative serves to enable the continuation of professional development opportunities for eye physicians, surgeons, and other health professionals.
This year’s conference will feature distinguished ophthalmologists from the USA and the UK, who will present and share information on the latest advances in their various fields of Ophthalmology.
The list compromises presenters attached to the Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute of Miami, which currently holds the record of being the top-choice eye hospital in the US. Participants will be engaged in a symposium and workshops during the 4-day conference, and there will be intense focus on conditions such as glaucoma, cataract and paediatric ophthalmological conditions. The programme also includes workshops for junior doctors, during which the Residents (junior doctors in training) will be given opportunity to present their research papers. As such, with the conference being held in Guyana, the local team will capitalize on the avenue to present papers on conditions which pose a threat throughout the country. Prior to the main forum, the OSWI will be organizing a series of preparatory events during which Guyanese will be able to cash in on a number of educational opportunities. These include a pre-conference CME (continuing medical education), and a session for Health Care Professionals of Guyana, which is slated for today (Tuesday, July 4) also at the Marriott Hotel.
The CME will be facilitated by three ophthalmologists, with lectures zooming in on the current outbreak of Acute Red Eye as well as Acute Vision Loss and Retinal Detachment. Participation is open to General Practitioners, Optometrists and medical students.
The conference will wrap up with a treat of Guyanese culture, as the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs will collaborate to organise a special post-conference lime at the Umana Yana in Georgetown. The venue will take on the ambience of an Indigenous village to display the culture, music and dance, arts and craft, and food of our Indigenous Peoples, affording the delegates a true Guyanese experience. The Guyana-held Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies is the undertaking of the Ministry of Public Health through the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Department of Ophthalmology. As such, both the Public Health Ministry and the GPHC administration are extending a warm welcome to all the delegates, while at the same time commending the effort of those involved in the planning and execution of this landmark event.