Dr Carlos Fuchtner, FIGO President
The delegates of FIGO World Congress in Rio de Janiero this week enjoyed an impressive beginning to the Presidency of Dr Carlos Fuchtner of Bolivia.
Maternal mortality was a major theme of his opening address when he highlighted the fact that 52% of maternal deaths are attributable to the three leading, and entirely preventable, causes of haemorrhage, sepsis and hypertensive disorders. Dr Fuchtner also addressed that 8% of maternal mortality can be attributed to unsafe abortion, before addressing the unmet need for access to family planning and the estimated costs of gender based violence in some countries runs from 1.2% to 3.7% of GDP.
Dr Fuchtner made the following commitments:
- To lead FIGO to address issues of cancer preventions and treatment, infection and diseases, prematurity and non-communicable diseases.
- To implement a strategy to prevent violence against women.
- To change the perception that FIGO is strongly dominated by men. And to promote women to become FIGO leaders for all levels of the organisation.
- To decrease maternal mortality due to PPH by implementation of PPH Bundles.
- To implement 'International Childbirth Initiative'
- To make contraception available at low cost worldwide.
- Making a strong commitment towards reducing unsafe abortion.
Women, children and adolescents are potentially the most powerful agents for improving their own health and achieving prosperous and sustainable societies. Their invaluable and often unrecognized contributions to society can achieve transformational change and peace.
We generate knowledge and medical evidence with high standards of qualiity and safe clinical practice. However we need to share this information with women and empower them to take control of their health and wellbeing.
In closing his presentation, he called on all of FIGO’s members:
"If all of us understand that women are the fundamental pillars of our society, we need to generate global initiatives to put women's health at the centre of international sustainable development efforts; it is not only a basic human right but the basis for economic advancement.
I commit you to be an agent of change, as President of FIGO together with your help, we will work to attain FIGO's goals. We CAN change the world to be a better place for our future generations".
Take a look at Dr Fuchtner speaking about the impact of FIGO and the importance of women being at the top level of conversation:
About FIGO President Dr Carlos Fuchtner
Dr Carlos Eduardo Fuchtner graduated as a Medical Doctor in The Medical School Universidad Estadual de Campinas in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1984. He then completed Residency Training in Obstetrics and Gyecology in the University of Chile, Santiago de Chile and did a Clinical Research Fellow in the Department of Obstetrics and Gyneacology in the University of California from 1989 to 1991 in Irvine, United States.
Dr Fuchtner was a gynecolologist at Instituto Oncologico del Oriente Boliviano in Bolivia from 1991 to 2008. He was the Chairman of the Gynecology Oncology Department, at Instituto Oncologico del Oriente Boliviano from 2001 to 2003.
Dr Fuchtner was Extraordinary Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hospital Municipal de la Mujer from 2009 to 2015 in Bolivia, President of the Bolivian Obstetrics and Gynecology Society from 2000 to 2002, President of the FLASOG from 2005 to 2008. In 2010 he was awarded Honorary Fellowship Society SOGC and in 2014 MAESTRO of Latin American Obstetrics and Gynecology in Ecuador.
Dr Fuchter has been actively involved in numerous aspects of FIGO’s work for many years, including being a member of FIGO’s Executive Board from 2002 to 2005 when he represented FLASOG, and from 2012 to 2018 representing SBOG. He was a member of FIGO Audit Commitee from 2004 to 2006. Dr Fuchtner became President FIGO on 19 October 2018.