SAO Gold Medal

The founder and president of the Bouamatou Foundation, Mr. Mohamed Ould Bouamatou received, on December 11, 2009, the gold medal of the Algerian Society of Ophthalmology (SAO) for his work in the fight against blindness in Mauritania and the sub-region. A week after being decorated with Mauritania's highest distinction, the Algerian Society of Ophthalmology, during its 26th national congress, in turn awarded the Gold Medal to the patron and businessman Mr. Mohamed Ould Bouamatou. This medal is awarded to the Mauritanian businessman in recognition of the remarkable work of this foundation in the field of the fight against blindness. The medal award ceremony was held in the presence of the presidents of the Maghreb Societies of Ophthalmology of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, as well as prominent international personalities in ophthalmology including the renowned Professor Yves Pouliquen of France, Professor Bruno Lumbroso of Italy, Professor Dufier of the Necker Children's Hospital, Professor Colin of Bordeaux, Professor Cochener of Brest, Professor Saida Ayed, president of the Mediterranean Society of Ophthalmology, Professor Kamoun of the International Clinic of Tunis, Dr. Saleh Mahjoub of the Associated Ophthalmologists Clinic of Tunis, Professor Said Chaabane of Algeria and friend of Mauritania, as well as the entire Maghreb ophthalmological community who were gathered for 5 days at the Aurassi Hotel in Algiers. It should be noted that this is the first time that this medal has been awarded to a businessman and not to a doctor, thanks notably to the foundation's reputation in the field of fighting blindness and trachoma, as well as the international impact achieved by the Bouamatou Foundation through its flagship institution, the ophthalmologic hospital of Nouakchott. And it is this international reputation which led to the foundation being approached in the past by Malian authorities for an operation against trachoma, and which today makes ophthalmologists recognize these efforts. In his speech for the occasion, Mr. Mohamed Ould Bouamatou thanked the SAO for this great honor, while emphasizing that he wished to share it with the men and women who work in the foundation and who have made it a benchmark center in the region.