Lourdes Carolina Vázquez Jiménez, a professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Asunción and the Hospital de Clínicas, has been elected as the first female president of the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH). This marks a significant moment, as the kidney health advocates organisation was founded in 1971.
SLANH works to improve kidney health in Latin America by bringing together experts and sharing knowledge through events and publications. The kidney health advocates partner with with organisations like the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to boost education, research, and access to kidney care treatments.
Vázquez Jiménez’s term will run from 2027 to 2029. She is also a member of the nephrology department staff at the Central Hospital of the Institute of Social Security.
International recognition at Congress
The election took place during the XXI Latin American Congress of Nephrology and Hypertension, held in Guayaquil, Ecuador. More than 140 international experts attended the congress. Over 30 Paraguayan nephrologists, many from the Hospital Escuela of the FCMUNA, participated as speakers, moderators, and scientific paper evaluators.
In addition to her historic election, Vázquez Jiménez received the SLANH President’s Award in recognition of her outstanding academic and scientific career in the region.
Future goals and initiatives
Vázquez Jiménez outlined her objectives for her presidency. She aims to strengthen collaborative networks between academic and hospital centres throughout Latin America. This will involve promoting joint multicentre projects, training, and the exchange of clinical and research experiences through institutional agreements and internships at recognised centres in the region.
She also emphasised the importance of giving visibility to local studies. Her plans include promoting the publication of regional data and providing resources to support research and innovation in nephrology.
Read more: To raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, Paraguay celebrated National Transplant Day once more in July. Amongst the 94 successful transplants this year until July, 2025, there were 23 kidney transplants.
