EDITORIAL
International projection of brazilian anesthesiology
The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) was officially founded in September 9, 1955, in historical Assembly held in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, during the 1st World Congress of Anesthesiologists, attended by 26 National Anesthesiology Societies, among which the Brazilian Society of Anesthesiology (SBA).
Today, almost half century after, WFSA counts on 108 member-Societies and 96403 anesthesiologists worldwide1, all directly or indirectly involved with meeting major WFSA objective, which is to make the highest anesthetic standards available to all peoples 2.
Along these almost fifty years, SBA has always had a prominent role in WFSA Board and activities. Dr. Zairo Vieira, then Chairman of SBA, participated in the first Executive WFSA Committee constituted in Scheveningen. In 1964, SBA has sponsored the 3rd World Congress of Anesthesiologists in São Paulo and by that time Dr. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Alves was elected member of WFSA Executive Committee. Other anesthesiologists members of SBA were elected for this position in different occasions: Dr. Carlos Pereira Parsloe in 1972, Dr. José Carlos Ferraro Maia in 1980, Dr. José Roberto Nociti in 1996. In 1984, during the 7th World Congress of Anesthesiologists held in Manila, the Philippines, Dr. Carlos Pereira Parsloe was inaugurated as Chairman of WFSA, remaining in the position until 1988.
Currently, SBA with 7319 members is the third largest member-Society of WFSA, coming after National USA and Japan Societies with 23727 and 8568 members, respectively 1. One of WFSA roles has been to search for the breakeven point between major and well-structured Societies such as SBA, and minuscule Societies on the other edge, such as Zambia, Estonia and Kazakhstan with 15 members, and Papua New Guinea with 10 members.
A lot has been discussed today about Anesthesiology excellence indices, such as the number of anesthesiologists as compared to the number of people they take care of. Several factors determine this index, among them population size and economic development stage, number of physicians graduated every year and the presence of paramedical professionals practicing anesthesia.
SBA has always advocated through its WFSA representatives the idea that anesthesia is a medical procedure and, as such, should be practiced by physicians with the necessary attributes to practice it with quality and safety. Considering high North-American Anesthesiology standards, the ratio of 1 anesthesiologist per 11700 inhabitants in that country has been considered by many as reference for ideal 3. Brazilian Anesthesiology is prominent in this aspect and is placed among countries with indices between the above-mentioned ideal and 1:25000, together with Japan, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay 4. On the other edge there are countries like Nepal (1:287000), Vietnam (1:197000), Thailand (1:124000), Guatemala (1:246000), Ecuador (1:156000) and Haiti (1:151000)3,4.
Brazilian Anesthesiology projection worldwide is apparent. The Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology is one of the few bilingual publications and may be read today by physicians of English speaking countries or those adopting English as their second language. In addition, its SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library On Line) and EMBASE (Excerpta Medica Database) indexation encourages foreign colleagues to visit our national scientific production.
Organization, quality and attendance of Brazilian Congresses of Anesthesiology were recently appreciated by two members of the upper WFSA Board who have visited us: TC Kester Brown, Chairman (47th CBA, São Paulo, 2000) and Anneke Meursing, General Secretary (50th CBA, Brasilia, 2003). The 13th World Congress of Anesthesiologists, held in Paris, 2004, had 16 SBA members as official guests to participate in conferences and round tables, number never before reached in International Congresses held outside Brazil. And last but not least, Brazilian authors are seeing their scientific papers accepted for publication in several specialty journals abroad, both in Europe and North America.
A challenge is imposed to new generations not only to maintain but also to enhance this international projection of Brazilian Anesthesiology, by attending Congresses, publishing articles, participating in associative activities and occupying spaces which are legitimately ours for the quality and seriousness of our work.
José Roberto Nociti, TSA, M.D.
Member, Executive Committee, WFSA
Member, Editorial Council, RBA
Rua Stélio Machado Loureiro, 21
14025-470 Ribeirão Preto - SP, Brazil
REFERENCES
01. WFSA Annual Report, London, UK, July 2002.
02. WFSA Statutes and Bylaws, 2000, Art 1.02.
03. Tritrakam T - Challenges in the Developing World. World Anaesthesia News, 2001;4:2-4.
04. Nociti JR - The Current Situation of Anaesthesiology in Central and South America. World Anaesthesia News, 2002;6:5.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
02 July 2004 -
Date of issue
June 2004
