With Congresses planned for 2004 in Hawaii, 2006 in Cape Town, and 2007 in Paris, along with smaller meetings being organized in the off years, a steady workload will result, making the operation efficient and financially advantageous to the Society.

New quarters have been arranged in central Montreal, and three new staff members have already been added. We are confident that member services and communications will improve substantially by having both the Society and Congress offices under the same roof. This will allow us to improve communication to the members this newsletters such as this one, to enhance the content and the resources on the SIU website, and to incorporate the functions of Congress and Meeting organization within one administrative office.

During 2003, we will strive to revitalize the interaction between the SIU and the Foundation, particularly in the area of fellowships and training. We are also seeking sites for Congress to follow the Society's Centennial in 2007. The National Delegates of interested countries should contact the Central Office for details.

Please note the coordinates of the new SIU Central Office:
1155 University Street, Suite 1155,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 3A7
Telephone : 001 514 875 5665
Fax : 001 514 875 0205
E-mail : central.office@siu-urology.org

Dear Member,

Greetings from SIU Indian section!

26th SIU meeting was held earlier last year at Stockholm from sep 8-12. There were rich scientific presentations on various aspects of Urological problems. Current consensus on BPH, Prostate cancer, bladder cancer, Erectile Dysfunctions, GU trauma, stone disease etc. were discussed during plenary sessions. More than 800 papers were presented. About 3000 delegates participated in the conference.

Dr.Mostafa Elhilali, General Secretary of SIU, described the society as only truly international Urological society covering 96 countries with more than 4000 members. He stressed that SIU is committed to 'Improving Urological Care Worldwide' and going to concentrate on Education and Training particularly to young urologists and those from developing world.

In this regard SIU has taken few major steps:

• It has adopted BJU international as its official Journal.
  
• Started Trainee Fellowships for young urologist (currently 10 to 12 of these are awarded annually).
• It has decided to provide teaching material to Training Centers.
• Equip or help to maintain the needy center in most remote part of the world.
• Organize small meetings in between the annual congresses. Uro-oncology is being organised in Egypt in year 2003.
• SIU has been involved in arranging reciprocal Guest lecture programme with other Urological Associations.

As you are aware we also have SIU guest lecture in our annual meeting of USI. Last Year Dr. Jack McAninch delivered SIU guest lecture at Guwahati during USICON 2003. In this respect I was also selected to deliver SIU guest lecture in plenary session of American Urological Association meeting at Chicago in April, 2003. SIU has also been involved in collaboration with International Consultation on Urological Diseases like Stone disease and Trauma Consultation.

SIU has been committed, over the years, to Science, Education and Fellowship. Dr. M.J.Rochford has become the President. He has been actively involved in SIU function for more than a decade. He is committed to further Internationalization of Society. He believes, Urologist must evaluate newer techniques such as laparoscopic surgery, which has been used by other section of surgical community, and adopt in one's practice so that Urological problems remain within the province of our society. I had a feeling that they respect Urological work in India and they also feel we have something to contribute Internationally. Many papers of good work were presented by India at Stockholm and five of us were faculty. I appeal to all the members of Urological Society of India to take the advantage of becoming a member of SIU. Besides getting BJU there are many advantages. Membership fee is very nominal i.e. $33.

You may download the form from this website.

On October 3-7, 2004, the tropical paradise of Honolulu, Hawaii will host the 27th Congress of the Society Internationale d'Urologie. With an invitation extended to more than 4,000 members of the SIU and 25,000 urologists worldwide, as well as an extensive promotion of the event through other means, we expect the Congress to bring together approximately 5,000 urologists from over 100 countries.Of all travel destinations, Hawaii is certainly among the most attractive.

Be sure to bookmark the Congress website , www.siu2004.com, for regular updates on the scientificprogram, the social and cultural program calendar, and the call for papers (Fall 2003).

New SIU Jean- Casimir-Felix-Guyon Medal to Be Unveiled in Honolulu

One of the SIU's prime objectives, through its Central Office, is to reach and implement new ways of reaching its members by expanding the scope of its Newsletter and enriching the content of its website to enhance its outreach goals and facilitate networking opportunities for its members.

The Newsletter will now become a quarterly publication that will be sent automatically to SIU members along with the BJU. E-versions of the publication will also be available.

As for the Website, plans for major refurbishment are well underway, with the main goal being interactivity and user input. Other planned improvements that will soon be operational include:

• More complete listings of Urological meetings and continuing medical education activities worldwide.
• A literature review for professionals and their patients.
• Improved user-friendly training fellowship applications.
• Convenient and secure on-line payment of membership dues.
• A "Members Only" section allowing access to directory of international members.
• Regular features on SIU-recognized training centers.
• Automatic e-alerts to notify of important deadlines. (i.e., Congress abstract submission, early-bird registration, membership dues, etc.)
• A "Case of the Month" profile presenting challenging clinical cases and their management.

Application forms, requirements and coordinates of participating centers are available from the Society Website. www.siu-urology.org

The following SIU-recognized Training Centres host fellowship programs :

Africa :

• Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt (Prof. Magdy El Akkad, Director)
• Al-Azhar University, cairo, Egypt (Prof. Ismail Khalaf, Director)
• Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt (Prof. Mohamed A. Dhoneim, Director)
• Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana (Prof. John Quartey, Director)
• Hospital Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morocco (Prof. Ahmed Lakrissa, Director)
• Hospital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia (Prof. Ali Mosbah, Director)
• University of Natal, Congella, South Africa (Prof. Z. Breczky, Director)
• Medical University of Southern Africa, Congella, South Africa (Prof. Alf Segone, Director)
• Medical School of the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa (Prof. Simon Reif, Director)
• University of stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa (Prof. Christopher Heyns, Director)
• Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania (Prof. Adam Groenveld, Director)

South America :

• University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Prof. Osvaldo Mazza, Director)
• University of Campinas Medical Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Prof. Nelson Rodrigues Netto Jr. Director)

Asia :

• Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital, Nadiad (Gujarat) India (Prof. Mahesh Desai, Director)

Deadline for 2003 fellowship application is July 31, 2003

• End to End Urethroplasty for Bulbar stricture
  
• Circumcoronal penile skin flap onlay urethroplasty with buccal mucosa ventral onlay graft urethroplasty for pan urethral stricture.