Greetings and a warm welcome to the new and improved MEACO website. As the Chairman of the Board, I am pleased to introduce you to our esteemed organization, which aims to foster and strengthen relationships among ophthalmology societies in the Middle East and Africa. In 1988, the Pan Arab Council of Ophthalmology (PACO) was founded with a membership of 20 countries, and since then, we have grown to encompass 34 countries across the region. As a result, we are now known as the Middle East and Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO).
At MEACO, our core objective is to promote camaraderie among national ophthalmic societies and their members. Over the years, we have successfully established robust ties with regional and international ophthalmic societies and organizations, including the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO). As an organization, we are dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of clinical ophthalmology in the Middle East and Africa to improve the eye health of the population. We remain steadfast in our commitment to this goal and look forward to achieving new milestones and successes.
MEACO is also committed to advancing the region's ophthalmology field through education and research. We organize regular conferences, workshops, and training programs to provide ophthalmologists with the latest information and techniques to improve patient care. Furthermore, MEACO has established partnerships with leading international organizations in the field of ophthalmology to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration. We aim to ensure that our members have access to the most up-to-date research and best practices worldwide. Overall, MEACO is a dynamic and forward-thinking organization dedicated to improving eye health and promoting excellence in ophthalmology across the Middle East and Africa. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our activities and initiatives.
I am honored to serve as the President of the Middle East and Africa Ophthalmology Society, and I would like to extend a warm welcome to all members of our society. As we navigate our journey, it is important that we prioritize the health and safety of our patients. Our society remains committed to providing high-quality education and resources to ophthalmologists throughout the region.
I would like to remind all members that our annual conference will be held this year, and we are excited to offer in-person sessions and live surgeries to accommodate the needs of our members. We have lined up an impressive slate of speakers and topics, and I am confident that this year's conference will be a great success.
I would also like to encourage all members to take advantage of the many resources available to them through our society, including our journal, online courses, and networking events. These resources are designed to help ophthalmologists stay up-to-date with the latest research and techniques, and to foster a sense of community among our members.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all of our members for their ongoing support of MEACO. Together, let us push the boundaries of ophthalmology in the region and make a meaningful impact on the lives of our patients.
Sincerely| Country | MEACO Member Societies | Society President |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Algerian Ophthalmological Society | Amar Ailem |
| Central Africa | Central Africa | John Nkurikiye |
| Egypt | Egyptian Ophthalmological Society | Mahmoud Ismail |
| United Arab Emirates | Emirates Ophthalmic Society | Sheikha Dr. Noura Al-Qassemi |
| Iran | Iranian society of Ophthalmology | Hassan Hashemi |
| Iraq | Iraqi Ophthalmological Society | Hamza Al-Majedi |
| Ivory cost | Ivory Coast Society of Ophthalmology | Kgao Legodi |
| Jordan | Jordanian Ophthalmological Society | Thabet El-Odat |
| Kingdom of Bahrain | Bahrain Ophthalmological Association | Abdul Saheb Ahmed Abdullah Mohsen |
| Kingdom of Saudia Arabia | Saudi Ophthalmological Society | Faisal Al-Mobarak |
| Kuwait | Kuwait Ophthalmic Society | Ahmed Saleh |
| Lebanon | Lebanese Ophthalmological Society | Hasan Chahine |
| Libya | Libyan Ophthalmological Society | Akram El-Krewi |
| Mauritania | Mauritanian Society of Ophthalmology | Sidi Lemine Hamahoulah |
| Morroco | Moroccan Society of Ophthalmology | Mohamed Bennani |
| Nigeria | Nigeria | Femi Babalola |
| Oman | Oman Ophthalmic Society | Rashid Al-Saidi |
| Palestine | The Palestinian Ophthalmological Society | Maged Abu Ramadan |
| Qatar | Qatar Ophthalmological Society | Fahad Al-Qahtani |
| Somalia | Somali Ophthalmological Society | Abdirahman Abdullahi Ali |
| South Africa | Ophthalmological Society of South Africa | Kgao Legodi |
| South Sudan | Ophthalmological Association of South Sudan | Mahgoub Saleem |
| Syria | Syrian Ophthalmological Society | Ramez Tawashi |
| Tunisia | Tunisian Ophthalmological Society | Majd Ghrobel |
| Tunisia | Tunisian Ophthalmological Society | Majd Ghrobel |
| Turkey | Turkish Ophthalmological Society | Ziya Kapran |
| West Africa/ Anglophone | West Africa\Anglophone | Sebastian Nwosu |
| West Africa/Francophone | West Africa\Francophone | Meda Noufounikoun |
| Yemen | Yemeni Ophthalmological Society | Mahfouth Bamashmus |
| Chairman of the Board | HRH Prince Abdul-Aziz Ahmad Al Saud |
| President | Abdul Aziz Badla |
| Honorary President | AKef El Magraby |
| Executive Vice President | Amel Ouertani |
| Vice President – Africa | Femi Babalola |
| Vice President – Middle East | Mohsen Kashkouli |
| Vice President GCC | Dr. Hassan Al Dhibi |
| Vice President | Ihab Othman |
| Vice President | Samer Mulki |
| Treasurer | Maged Abu Ramadan |
| MEACO Subspecialty Societies | President |
|---|---|
| Middle East African Glaucoma Society (MEAGS) | Amel Ouertani |
| Middle East Africa Caratct and Refractive Surgery (MEACRS) | Mazin Sinjab |
| Middle East Africa Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Society (MEAPOSS) | Mohamed Younes |
| Middle East Africa Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (MEASOPRS) | Mahmoud Al Salem |
| Middle East Africa Vitreo Retina Society (MEAVRS) | Faisal Fayyad |
| Middle East Africa Women in Ophthalmology (MEAWOS) | Manal Bouhaimed |
| Middle East Africa Young Ophthalmologists (MEAYOS) | Zahraa Abdulla |
