Among the numerous contributions by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) to the improvement of ophthalmology in Latin America, it has played an invaluable role in the development of the retina and vitreous subspecialty in the region. The quality of the research published in Latin America demonstrates the development of the retina subspecialty at this region and also the worldwide collaboration pioneered by PAAO and the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group (PACORES). We would suggest further academic relationship at the regional as well as international levels as well as funding research institutes to assist retinal researchers in the region since it is generally thought that there is frequently a lack of government funding at all levels, from patient education to support for health teams to tertiary health care centers.
Among the numerous contributions by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) to the improvement of ophthalmology in Latin America, it has played an invaluable role in the development of the retina and vitreous subspecialty in the region. The quality of the research published in Latin America demonstrates the development of the retina subspecialty at this region and also the worldwide collaboration pioneered by PAAO and the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group (PACORES). We would suggest further academic relationship at the regional as well as international levels as well as funding research institutes to assist retinal researchers in the region since it is generally thought that there is frequently a lack of government funding at all levels, from patient education to support for health teams to tertiary health care centers.
Abstract. This paper presents an approach to enhance the role of local stakeholders in dealing with urban floods. The concept is based on the DIANE-CM project (Decentralised Integrated Analysis and Enhancement of Awareness through Collaborative Modelling and Management of Flood Risk) of the 2nd ERANET CRUE funding initiative. The main objective of the project was to develop and test an advanced methodology for enhancing the resilience of local communities to flooding. Through collaborative modelling, a social learning process was initiated that enhances the social capacity of the stakeholders due to the interaction process. The other aim of the project was to better understand how data from hazard and vulnerability analyses and improved maps, as well as from the near real-time flood prediction, can be used to initiate a public dialogue (i.e. collaborative mapping and planning activities) in order to carry out more informed and shared decision-making processes and to enhance flood risk awareness. The concept of collaborative modelling was applied in two case studies: (1) the Cranbrook catchment in the UK, with focus on pluvial flooding; and (2) the Alster catchment in Germany, with focus on fluvial flooding. As a result of the interactive and social learning process, supported by sociotechnical instruments, an understanding of flood risk was developed amongst the stakeholders and alternatives for flood risk management for the respective case study area were jointly developed and ranked as a basis for further planning and management.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. This study estimated the total number of adult elective operations that would be cancelled worldwide during the 12 weeks of peak disruption due to COVID-19. Methods: A global expert response study was conducted to elicit projections for the proportion of elective surgery that would be cancelled or postponed during the 12 weeks of peak disruption. A Bayesian β-regression model was used to estimate 12-week cancellation rates for 190 countries. Elective surgical case-mix data, stratified by specialty and indication (surgery for cancer versus benign disease), were determined. This case mix was applied to country-level surgical volumes. The 12-week cancellation rates were then applied to these figures to calculate the total number of cancelled operations. Results: The best estimate was that 28 404 603 operations would be cancelled or postponed during the peak 12 weeks of disruption due to COVID-19 (2 367 050 operations per week). Most would be operations for benign disease (90·2 per cent, 25 638 922 of 28 404 603). The overall 12-week cancellation rate would be 72·3 per cent. Globally, 81·7 per cent of operations for benign conditions (25 638 922 of 31 378 062), 37·7 per cent of cancer operations (2 324 070 of 6 162 311) and 25·4 per cent of elective caesarean sections (441 611 of 1 735 483) would be cancelled or postponed. If countries increased their normal surgical volume by 20 per cent after the pandemic, it would take a median of 45 weeks to clear the backlog of operations resulting from COVID-19 disruption. Conclusion: A very large number of operations will be cancelled or postponed owing to disruption caused by COVID-19. Governments should mitigate against this major burden on patients by developing recovery plans and implementing strategies to restore surgical activity safely.