2019 Latin Ambassador Program
Recognizing the importance of improving awareness and care of children impacted by chronic gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses, IFFGD was pleased to announce its 2019 Latin Ambassadors to five leading pediatric gastroenterologists. These Ambassadors were recognized during the LASPHGAN session of NASHPGAN in 2019. The inaugural Ambassadors are intended to raise awareness and improve care for pediatric GI and motility disorders in Latin America.
The IFFGD Ambassadors Program is led by a committee of leaders in the medical and scientific community of Latin America:
Ambassador Program Committee
- Dr. Miguel Saps
- Dr. Jose Garza
- Dr. Samuel Nurko
- Dr. Leonel Rodriguez
- Dr. Reinaldo Pierre Alvarez
We are pleased to recognize the 2019 IFFGD Latin American Ambassadors recipients for their achievements and thank them for their commitment to children with chronic GI and motility disorders.
The 2019 IFFGD Latin Ambassadors Are:
Dra. María Francisca Jaime, Pediatric Gastroenterologist at Clínica Alemana De Santiago, Chile
Dra. Jamie completed her Fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and has two diplomas in Biostatistics. During 2016 she completed an observership in functional tests at Emma Children’s Hospital in Amsterdam, with Marc Benninga and his team. She has written 19 articles in peer reviewed journals (including one study about fructose malabsorption and the first Latin-American series of POEM procedure in chilean children with achalasia this 2020) and 4 chapters in books. This 2020 she organized the first Online Course of Pediatric Gastroenterology of Clínica Alemana and Universidad del Desarrollo, “Un enfoque práctico para la atención primaria”, in which our foundation was one of the sponsors. Every year, she gives lectures for the online courses at Fundación Meneghello for chilean medicine students and general practitioners and this 2020, she will give a lecture on the Chilean Pediatric Congress which will reach hundreds of pediatricians from Chile and Latin-America.
She is married with two children while currently working at Clínica Alemana, Hospital Padre Hurtado and Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago de Chile.
Her particular research interest is in functional gastrointestinal disorders. Dra. Jamie worked on the team which published the first report about the prevalence of FGIDs in Chilean school children.
Dr. Mauro Batista De Morais, Full Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Paulista School of Medicine / Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil.
In addition to the Medical Residency and Specialist Title in Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology Dr. De Morais has a Master’s and Doctorate degree. He conducted Postdoctoral Program as Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine/Children Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas. In Brazil he mentored 33 PhD students and 51 Masters students.
He works actively in the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. Dr. De Morais participates LASPGHAN of which he was Secretary General, Vice President of Brazil and President of the Latin American, Ibero-american and Brazilian Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology held in Natal, Brazil in 2012. He has written about 140 articles that are located on PubMed.
Dr. Juan Francisco Rivera-Medina, Pediatrician in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition National Children’s Health Unit Institute in Lima, Peru.
He is a Professor for the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology at the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM), and Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University. He has also served as a Past-president of LASPGHAN.
Dr. Juan Francisco Rivera-Medina focuses his research on nutritional aspects of children with functional digestive disorders and childhood intestinal diseases.
Producción Científica relacionada con Trastornos Funcionales en Niños- Año 2020
Diagnóstico Diferencial en Reflujo Gastroesofágico, III Curso Virtual de la Sociedad Peruana de Pediatría, 26 de setiembre, 2020. On line. Perú
Constipación, manejo y tratamiento Congreso Internacional de Pediatría. Probióticos y gastroenterología. Octubre 29-Noviembre 1, 2020. On Line. Sociedad Latinoamericana de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica SLAGHNP. Ecuador
Miembro del Grupo de trabajo en investigación Trastornos Digestivos Funcionales (FINDERS: Funcional International Digestive Epidemiological Research Survey). Octubre 10, 2020. On Line. IV Convención. Sociedad Latinoamericana de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica SLAGHNP. Venezuela
En edición el Capítulo de Dispepsia Funcional del Libro: Trastornos funcionales Digestivos en Pediatría. Colombia.
Dr. Carlos Velasco, Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia.
Past-president of LASPGHAN.
Dr. Benitz has 66 published articles and several books related to pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition.
His main areas of focus are Pediatric Functional Digestive Disorders and Celiac Disease.
View Dr. Velasco’s presentations here
Dr. Edgar Játiva Mariño MSc. PhD(c), Doctor in Medicine and Surgery, Specialist in Pediatrics, Professor of the Central University of Ecuador.
He is the Executive President of the ISAMI Maternal and Child Health Institute and President of the Latin American Society of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Pediatric Nutrition, Ecuador Chapter. Member of the SLAGHNP.
He is currently a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery and Specialist in Pediatrics at the Central University of Ecuador.
Dr. Edgar Játiva Mariño is Magister in University Teaching at the Polytechnic School of the ESPE Army.
He has diplomas in Public Health at the Fudon University of Rio de Janeiro, Educational Technology at UNAM Mexico DF and Hospital Management by UCE Processes.