The Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation (MESOT) was initially founded in Turkey under the leadership of Professor Mehmet A. Haberal in 1987, in compliance with Turkish Civil Code regulations. The Society was subsequently incorporated and registered with the Berne, Switzerland Chamber of Commerce in June 1988 as a nonprofit international scientific Society. The boundaries of the regions defined in the original bylaws were extended to include neighboring mid-Asian countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Former Soviet Republics) in accordance with the resolution accepted at the Third General Assembly, which was held in Tunis in December, 1992.MESOT became an affiliate member of the Transplantation Society in August 1990 at the General Assembly of the San Francisco Transplantation Society, and in January 1992 became associated with Transplantation Proceedings'. The proceedings of MESOT meetings have been published regularly in this Journal since that time.
Briefly, the purpose of MESOT, as stated in the Society's bylaws, is: To promote and encourage education, research and cooperation in the field of organ transplantation between medical centers in Middle Eastern, North African and neighboring mid-Asian countries for the purpose of advancing the art and science of transplantation, and to serve the patients of this region through the application of new knowledge and advances in the transplantation of organs for the treatment of human disease.
To create a scientific forum for discussion of all problems related to the field of transplantation, including medical, social and legal aspects. To collaborate with existing public and private organizations to promote and encourage research and clinical applications related to transplantation, and to participate and assist in the coordination of efforts or the formulation of programs by all physicians, agencies, health personnel and scientists which will promote the donation of organs.
To encourage meetings, symposia and congresses, and to prepare and distribute publications and announcements in order to fulfill the above objectives.
PRESIDENTS OF MESOT IN ORDER OF TERMS OF OFFICE
Mehmet A. Haberal MD, FACS (1988 - 1990) Turkey George M. Abouna MD, FRCS(C). FACS. (1990 - 1992) Kuwait Iradj Fazel MD, FACS (1992 - 1994) Iran Aziz EI-Matri MO. (1994 - 1996) Tunisia Nevzat Bilgin MD, (1996 - 1998) Turkey Ahad Ghods MD, FACP. (1998 - 2000) Iran S. Adibul Hasan Rizvi (2000 - 2002) Pakistan
Algeria Azerbaijan Bahrain Egypt Iran Kuwait Kyrghizstan Lebanon Marocco Oman Pakistan Palestine Cyprus Saudi Arabia Syria Tunisia Turkey Ukraine United Arab Emirates Number of Countries 19 Number of Members 233 Regular members 209 Associate members 18 Candidate Members 6
MESOT Council members in Karachi (standing from left lo right} Dr. Faissal Shaheen, Dr. Taieb Ben AbdaUah, Dr. Nebil Buyukpamukcu, Dr. S. Adibul Hasan Rizvi, Dr. Huseyin Gutay, (seated from left to right) Dr. Antoine Estephan, Dr. Nevzat Bilgin, Dr. Ahad Ghods and Dr. Nobakht Haghighi (1998).
