History of Latin American Dermatology

History of Ecuadorian Dermatologypresidency of Dr. Luis Chiriboga A., and the presidencyof the Congress of Dr. Claudio Arias A.; the central topicwas “Skin Tumors.” The Fourth Ecuadorian Congress(Guayaquil, July 1987) was held under the national andCongress presidency of Dr. José Ollague. Quito was hostto the Fifth Ecuadorian Congress and to the Ninth BolivarianCongress of Dermatology in October 1990, withDr. Carlos Carvajal H. as national president and presidentof the Congress. The Sixth Ecuadorian Congresswas held in Cuenca from April 12 to 16, 1993, with Dr.Franklin Encalada initially as national president (1991)and then Dr. Mauricio Coello. Beginning with thatCongress, which was headed by Dr. Claudio Arias, officialtopics were abolished. In Guayaquil, from July 20 to25, 1995, the Seventh Ecuadorian Congress was held,under the presidency of Dr. Gonzalo Calero H.; the Eighth Ecuadorian Congress tookplace in Quito from July 20 to 25, 1997; its president was Dr. Oswaldo Reyes; the NinthEcuadorian Congress was held in Cuenca, from April 29 to May 3, 1999, with Dr. MarceloMerchán M. as national president and president of the Congress. In Guayaquil, from July19 to 22, 2001, the Tenth Ecuadorian Congress and the Sixteenth Bolivarian Congress ofDermatology were held, both headed by Dr. Franklin Madero 24, 32 . Finally, the EleventhEcuadorian Congress was held in Quito from July 24 to 26, 2003, headed by Dr. SantiagoPalacios 24 . At present (up to the writing of this essay, September 2004) Cuenca is organizing,on the one hand, the Second Latin American Congress of Photobiology and Photomedicine,to be held in our city on November 26 and 27, 2004, with the participationof the most outstanding world leaders in the subject 24, 27 , and on the other, the TwelfthEcuadorian Congress of the specialized field, an event that is planned for March 2006,under the national presidency of Dr. Víctor León Ch. 24 .The Azuay Nucleus, responsible for organizing the Third, Sixth and Ninth EcuadorianCongresses of Dermatology, had the wisdom to invite and the privilege to receive foreignprofessors of international stature such as Raúl Vignale (Uruguay), Miguel Armijo (Spain)and Enrique Hernández P. (El Salvador), in 1985; Hugo Néstor Cabrera (Argentina), LourdesTamayo (Mexico), Ramón Ruiz Maldonado (Mexico), Sandra García (Argentina), EduardoCivila (Uruguay), in 1993; and Donald V. Belsito (USA), Alejandro Guinzburg (Israel),Fernando Stengel (Argentina), Juliana Forster (Argentina), Roberto Arenas (Mexico), AlejandroBonifaz (Mexico), Héctor Cáceres (Peru), Marcelo Nacucchio (Argentina) and JorgePeniche (Mexico) in 1999. With their presence and participation, these physicians providedluster and enhancement to the events organized by our nucleus, and everyone who attendedbenefited from their wise knowledge and teachings 24, 30 . The Azuay Nucleus, asorganizer of the aforementioned events, on its behalf and with the sponsorship of thestanding national authorities, by virtue of the merits and services provided by the illustriousvisitors, justly and according to the Bylaws conferred on each of them the honor of“Corresponding Members” of the Ecuadorian Society of Dermatology 24 .Within the local and provincial scope, the Azuay Nucleus is characterized by being agroup featuring brotherly and very active work, having, since its beginnings, organizedvarious scientific, social and cultural activities; weekly meetings are held on Thursdaysfor the examination of patients and clinical cases, at first at the EISS (Ecuadorian Instituteof Social Security) Hospital, in the afternoon and then in the morning at the VicenteCorral Moscoso Regional Hospital; at night, the sessions of the Nucleus take place. Simultaneously,what is known as the Annual Course of Continuing Dermatology Educationhas been institutionalized, which, with great care and dedication has been carried out,at the due times, by the authorities in office 24 . Various seminars, round tables, mini-courses,Figure 31. Interviewon the setting up ofthe EcuadorianSociety ofDermatology, AzuayNucleus. El MercurionewspaperFigure 32. Participantsin the 3rd EcuadorianCongress ofDermatology, Cuenca1985Figure 33. Ttheorganizers of theevent: Dr. ClaudioArias, President of theCongress, Dr. RolendioPalacios, Dr. Iván Zéas,Dr. Franklin Encalada,Dr. Mauricio Coelloand Professors RaúlVignale (Uruguay) andMiguel Armijo (Spain)213