Prof. Ogugua Okonkwo - MD, DRCOphth (U.K), FRCS (Ed), FWACS 

Prof. Ogugua Okonkwo is a graduate of Medicine from the University of Nigeria. He completed his residency training as one of the pioneer residents in Ophthalmic surgery at the Eye Foundation Hospital, with the dual awards of a Fellowship and Diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and Royal College of Ophthalmology (UK), respectively. His passion for vitreoretinal surgery early in his career led him to complete his sub-specialty fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Eye Foundation Retina Institute with significant accomplishments. He pioneered numerous surgical techniques in Nigeria, resulting in his appointment as a faculty member in the department. As a member of faculty, he played a key role in the department's evolution into a regional referral center for vitreoretinal surgical services and a hub for hands-on training of surgical fellows and residents. In his capacity as Programme Director, he actively contributed to the training and supervision of numerous ophthalmic residents and vitreoretinal fellows, many of whom have become accomplished surgeons in the field. He has devoted a large part of his career to advancing vitreoretinal surgery in Nigeria. His interest lies in complex vitreoretinal surgery and alternative cost-effective vitreoretinal techniques. He is involved in a project aimed at improving access to vitreoretinal surgical services in Africa. He has organized several teaching courses and has been invited as faculty/speaker to many national and international scientific courses and conferences. Dr Okonkwo is the principal investigator for the Collaborative Retina Research Network (CRRN). He has published over sixty scientific papers in local and international journals and authored book chapters. He is a peer reviewer for several scientific journals (many of which are indexed on PubMed). He serves as an editorial board member in 5 journals, including being the guest editor and editor in chief of two ophthalmic journals. He is an active member of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, the Vitreoretinal Society of Nigeria, the African Retinal Society, the American Society of Retina Specialist, the Arab African Society of Retina Specialists, and the EURETINA. He is a member of the faculty of surgical trainers (RCS, Edin.) His contributions at home and abroad have earned him several awards, including the development in the Nigerian Merit Award, the most outstanding ophthalmic surgeon of the year, and most recently, the EURETINA Kreissig award, amongst others.