Director of SAHZU Eye Center and Chairman of Chinese Ophthalmology Society Prof. YAO Ke was appointed as the Vice Chairman of Committee on International Exchange and Cooperation and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Chinese Medical Association when the 26th committee meeting was held virtually in Beijing on March 24.

THE OFFICIAL ANNOUCEMENT DURING THE MEETING

The Committee consists of 26 members from all over China, including several academicians of Chinese Academy of Engineering.

At the meeting, Prof. YAO Ke spoke on behalf of the other vice chairmen. He pointed out that the communication with international colleagues for the continous development of medical science is very important particularly in view of today's global health community. Prof. KE reported to the committee about the work that the ophthalmology committee has been carrying out in the past years under his leadership in international communication and exchange. The goal of the Committee, Prof. YAO suggests, should be to assist the other medical committtes of the Chinese Medical Association to reach out and expand their global impact, to train the next generation of medical talents for the world, and to establish long-term partnership or collaboration with international colleagues. By doing these, the committee wishes to represent more of Chinese healthcare workers and their achievements in the world.

Prof. YAO is also serving as the Chairman of the Chinese Ophthalmology Society and the council member of the International Council of Ophthalmology. Being a top expert in Chinese ophthalomogy community and actively engaging in the international medical community, Prof. YAO has devoted himself to bridging China and the world.

For example, the Society has initiated the China-Pakistan Ophthalmological Forum since 2017. Both countries take turns to chair the forum. In 2018, Chinese ophthalmologists traveled to Parkistan and conducted free procedures there, bringing light to hundreds of Parkistan people and hope to their families. 

The Society also held an ophthalmology conference under the "One Belt and One Road" Initiative in September 2018. The conference hosted 107 experts from over 30 countries, including many chairmen of those countries' national ophthalmology associations.

In 2020, two Chinese ophthalmologists secured two seats in the standing committee of the International Council of Ophthalmology. Prof. YAO himself is the president-elect of the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons while another four Chinese scholars are serving as the chair of other sub-specialty committees of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Right now, Prof. YAO and the Society is working closely with the International Council of Ophthalmology towards co-hosting the 2022 World Ophthalmology Congress.