South East Asia Glaucoma Interest Group

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Sydney APAO meeting sees historic merger of regional glaucoma groups.

Prof Makoto Ariae, President of the AOGS signs the merger document watched (from right to left) by Profs Paul Healey (Chairman APGS Steering Committee), Prin Roganapongpun (President SEAGIG), Dennis Lam (Secretary General APAO), Ivan Goldberg (APAO Congress President) and Paul Chew (Editor Asian Journal of Ophthalmology)

The future of glaucoma in the Asia-Pacific region has been secured by an historic agreement signed at the APAO meeting in Sydney in March 2011. SEAGIG has joined forces with the Asia-Oceanic Glaucoma Society (AOGS) and the Asian Angle Closure Glaucoma Club. (AACGC) to form the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society, which will replace these organisations, once it becomes a legal entity.

Negotiations for the merger were lead by Paul Healey, (SEAGIG Treasurer and AOGS Regional Representative) and conducted over 3 years, culminating in the signing ceremony in Sydney. "Each society has its own unique culture and focus." said Prof Healey. "Bringing them together required finding a path which everyone was happy to follow but also leading to an organisation greater than those it replaces."

A committee comprising the Presidents and Secretaries of SEAGIG, AOGS and AACGC developed the aims and structure of the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society over numerous meetings. The committee comprised Prin Rojanapongpun and SK Fang from SEAGIG, Makoto Araie and Catherine Liu from AOGS and Tetsua Yamamoto and Ki Ho Park from AACGC. A joint SEAGIG/AOGS/AACGC Board then worked through the issues. As part of the new spirit of co-operation, Taipei hosted the first every joint scientific meeting of the three societies in December 2010. This was also the deadline for everyone to agree to proceed with the merger and formation of Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society. Now that the agreement is signed, there is still much work to do. A Steering committee chaired by Prof Healey will oversee the final steps in the formation of the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society as a legal entity and registered charity. It is hoped this should be complete by the end of this year.

Members of the Joint Board included:

Manuel Agulto (MA), SEAGIG Immediate Past President, AOGS regional representative, AACGC regional representative
Norman Aquino (NA), SEAGIG Board member
Makoto Araie (MKA), AOGS President, SEAGIG Board member
Tin Aung (TA), SEAGIG Board member, AACGC regional representative
Paul Chew TK (PC), SEAGIG Board member
Clement CY Tham (CT), SEAGIG Vice President, AOGS regional representative, AACGC regional representative
Ivan Goldberg (IG), SEAGIG Board member, AOGS Board member
Paul Healey (PH), SEAGIG Treasurer, Moderator
Ki Ho Park (KHP), AACGC Secretary, SEAGIG Board member
Tsing Hong Wang (THW), AACGC Board member
Chul Hong (CH), AACGC Advisor
Baasankhuu Jamyanjav (BJ), AACGC regional representative
Gong Je Seong (GJS), AOGS Board member
Ge Jian (GJ), AOGS Board member
Seng Kheong Fang (SKF), SEAGIG Secretary, AOGS regional representative, AACGC regional representative
Yoshiaki Kitazawa (YK), AOGS Board member, AACGC Advisor
Ching Lin Ho (CLH), SEAGIG Board member
Catherine Liu (CL), AOGS Secretary
Hiromu Mishima (HM), AOGS Board member
Prin Rojanapongpun (PR), SEAGIG President, AACGC Vice President
Steve Seah (SS), AOGS Board member
Ramanjit Sihota (RS), SEAGIG Board member, AACGC regional representative
Ikke Sumantri (IS), SEAGIG Board member
Por T Hung (PTH), AOGS Board member, AACGC Advisor
Ravi Thomas (RT), SEAGIG Board member
Goji Tomita (GT), AACGC regional representative
Ningli Wang (NW), SEAGIG Board member, AACGC Board member, AOGS regional representative
Da Wen Lu (DWL), SEAGIG Board member
Tetsuya Yamamoto (TY), AACGC President, SEAGIG Board member
Yong Yeon Kim (YYK), AACGC Board member
Kwou Yeung Wu (KYW), AACGC Board member

Members of the newly formed APGS Board are joined by APAO Executives and guests to witness signing of the merger agreement.

APGS and SEAGIG Membership

For SEAGIG members, the formation of the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society heralds a new era. All current financial members of SEAGIG will automatically become members of the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society. Expect to see new initiatives from the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society in education, accreditation and member benefits. Renew now to avoid future fee increases!

First Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress - Bali 7-9 December 2012

The first Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress has been scheduled for December 7-9, 2012 in Bali, Indonesia. Save this date in your diaries!

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