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Vision Excellence Awards: Rainald Duerksen

Rainald Duerkson

Dr Rainald Duerksen is the Chief Executive of Fundación Visión, Paraguay. He also served two terms as IAPB Regional Chair for Latin America.

Dr Duerksen graduated from the National University of Asunción in 1987 with a degree in Medicine as a Medical Doctor and Surgeon. He later specialized in Ophthalmology and graduated as an Ophthalmologist in 1991 from “Elias Santana” Hospital in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He worked as an ophthalmologist at the Baptist Hospital (“Centro Medico Bautista”) in Asunción Paraguay before founding Fundación Visión in October 1999. Dr. Duerksen is also a Consultant for CBM, Latin American Region.

As Regional Chair, Dr Duerksen played a critical role in expanding VISION 2020 Latin America to the entire region, and ensuring close ties with WHO PAHO. He was key to VISION 2020’s success in the region, and in bringing the Latin American eye care closer to the international public health in eye care community.