AO Trauma Middle East and Northern Africa
Although the teaching activities of the AO Foundation in the Middle East region started in 1979, the AO Trauma Middle East (AO TME) was officially announced as a region in 2010.
AO Trauma Middle East and Northern Africa history:
The first AO Trauma Middle East (AO TME) regional board was chaired by Prof Mamoun Kremli. During his two terms of chairmanship, the number of member countries hosting AO activities increased from six to 18. In 2017 the naming of the region changed from AO Trauma Middle East (AO TME) to AO Trauma Middle East and Northern Africa (AO TMENA) to tribute also the countries in the norther part of Africa.
Dr Wa’el Taha became the first AO TME Education Committee Chair. Through his term, the number of local and regional courses saw a remarkable increase. Faculty education programs were also introduced. The Middle East faculty began marking its presence as international faculty at the AO Davos Courses.
In 2009, Prof Hazem A Azeem became the first faculty from the region to co-chair a course in Davos. In 2010 and 2012, he went on to chair the AO Trauma course—Basic Principles at the AO Davos Courses.
The first AO TME research committee (AO TMERC) chaired by Prof Hazem A Azeem took on the responsibility of promoting research activities within the region. AO TMERC organized the first research forum in Dubai in March 2011, and hosted 'Research Road Map—from idea to publication' in 2012.
Research fellows were also sent to the AO Research Institute Davos (ARI) and to the AO Innovation Translation Center (AO ITC).
The first AO TME community development committee was chaired by Dr Kamel Afifi. During his tenure, the membership reached its peak in 2013, registering 566 members from the region.
Towards a successful future
The current AOT MENA regional board is chaired by Mohammed Wajid with Saeed Al-Thani, Education Committee Chair; Khalid Khoshhal, Research Committee Chair; and El-Zaher Hassan , Community Development Committee Chair.
In 2018 a number of 48 educational activities such as AO Trauma courses, seminars and symposia were run within the Middle East and Northern Africa region while 50 clinical fellowships from the region were approved for 2018.
Over the past years, AO Trauma AO Trauma Middle East & Northern Africa has evolved. The number of active AO Trauma members has increased to over 1000 across 30 countries.
True to the saying “All glory comes from daring to begin”—Eugene F Ware (1841-1911), AO TMENA has taken its first step towards success.