The ASOPRS Foundation is excited to support ACE Global’s Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Committee to bring to fruition a first-of-its-kind fellowship training program in Honduras. This program will train Honduran oculofacial surgeons to serve as a steadily growing resource for the people of Honduras, where there is a demonstrated need for this specialty. The first-ever Fellow, Nicolle Andrea Ruiz Rodriguez, MD, is training now and is dedicated to improving patients' lives in Honduras.
Honduras faces a significant shortage of oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery providers, which has a profound impact on the health of its citizens, especially the poor. According to the World Health Organization, there are only 0.2 oculofacial plastic surgeons per 1 million people in Honduras. This limited access to specialized care leads to delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, and increased rates of preventable blindness. Honduras has one of the highest poverty rates in Latin America, making it difficult for many patients to afford the medical care they desperately need.