FIGO Award for Professor Marleen Temmerman

Every three years, FIGO honours women gynae cologists and obstetricians predominantly from the developing world or from the western world, who in their daily practice or in their research have contributed significantly to the improvement of healthcare for women. The Flemish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is extremely proud that one of its members, Professor Marleen Temmerman, received this award during the 24 FIGO World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, held in Cape Town (South Africa). Professor Marleen Temmerman graduated in 1978 at the Ghent University as medical doctor. From the beginning of her career she had a keen interest in diseases in women of the developing world. She started working in 1978 as a general pracitioner, and took a course at the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. She had her postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Breda, The Netherlands and at the Free University of Brussels. She was a visiting scientist at the University of Nairobi, Kenya (1987-92) and obtained her PhD at the Ghent University on the subject “HIV-1 and pregnancy. Maternal HIV-1 infection in Kenia: clinical epidemiological, obstetric and public health aspects”. Besides a busy political career as Senator in the parliament of Belgium and a position as Chairperson of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University Hospital of Ghent, she is heavily involved in many projects on the health of women in the developing countries. In addition, she serves as the Director of the International Centre for Reproductive Health. Between 20012008 she was the promoter of 10 PhD-theses concentrating on women’s health issues, and their clinical epidemiological and public health aspects in the developing world. She authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers on this subject. The achievements of Professor Marleen Temmerman are astonishing and outstanding. In this respect the Flemish Society of Obstetrics & Gynaecology is indepted to FIGO for the recognition of the special contribution which was delivered to Professor Marleen Temmerman. The Flemish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology wants to congratulate the FIGO award winner and to stimulate her to continue her important work.