History, Vision & Objectives
WGO History
The WGO is a federation of 109 national societies of gastroenterology representing over 50 000 individual members. WGO originated largely due to the initiative of Georges Brohée (1887-1957), Belgian Surgeon and Radiologist who promoted modern Gastroenterology, in particular by founding the Belgian Society of Gastroenterology in 1928 and by organizing the first International Congress of Gastroenterology in Brussels in 1935. His continuing efforts culminated in the constitution of the “Organisation Mondiale de Gastro-entérologie” (OMGE) on 29th May 1958 in Washington DC where the first World Congress of Gastroenterology was held.
The first president was Dr. H.L. Bockus whose vision was to enhance standards of education and training in gastroenterology. Initially focussed on developed nations, the WGO today embraces a global approach with a special emphasis on developing regions.
The organisation was officially renamed the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) in May 2007.
WGO Vision
Digestive disorders - from diarrhoea to obesity to cancer - are pre-eminent among health care issues globally, a significant burden to national healthcare budgets and the single greatest cause of cancer death. While an increasing awareness of causative factors, coupled with dramatic advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have led to improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of digestive disorders, these benefits have not been transmitted equally across the world and, especially, to those in greatest need.
As the global representative for gastroenterology, the role of the WGO is to:
- increase global public awareness of digestive disorders
- provide independent and high quality educational opportunities to medical, nursing and other healthcare professionals in digestive disorders throughout the world, regardless of location
- support healthcare professionals who care for those with digestive disorders throughout the world
‘Global Guardian of Digestive Health. Serving the World.’
WGO Objectives
- To promote public awareness of digestive disorders world-wide
- To provide the highest standards in education and training in gastroenterology throughout the world and objectively assess the outcomes thereof
- To create an educational network readily accessible and relevant to gastroenterologists in emerging societies to support their local professional development
- To promote multi-disciplinary approaches to primary prevention, screening, early detection and optimal care of digestive cancers
- To promote an ethical approach to all aspects of the practice of gastroenterology
- To promote the formation of national gastroenterological organizations
- To support and collaborate closely with all organizations interested in digestive disorders, including nursing, other healthcare workers and patient advocacy groups
- To solicit financial support for the purpose of undertaking WGO’s global and emerging society programs and activities
- To regularly communicate WGO’s strategic plan, activities and utcomes to its constituents
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