The Saudi Society for Liver Diseases and Transplantation (SASLT) was formally established in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the approval of the Council of Trustees of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, referenced as decision No. 29/1/7, dated 10/02/1429 H. Based in Riyadh, SASLT has the capacity to expand by establishing branches in other regions within the Kingdom as needed.
Internal Regulations for the SASLT Executive Board (EB)
The SASLT Executive Board convenes on a regular schedule, holding meetings every two months on the first Thursday of January, March, May, July, September, and November. For the meetings to be valid, a quorum of more than four board members is required. Decisions during these meetings are either made unanimously or by a majority vote. Additionally, the head of each committee or interest group is mandated to present a progress report at the beginning of each meeting.
The First Executive Board (2008)
The first SASLT Executive Board was formed following the General Assembly meeting on August 30, 2008, attended by the Vice Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and other members. The composition of the board was as follows:
1_ President: Dr. Ahmed Al Omair, Clinical Hepatologist, King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh
2_ Vice President: Dr. Hamad Al Ashgar, Clinical Hepatologist, King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH), Riyadh
3_ Secretary General: Dr. M. Al Saghier, Liver Transplant Surgeon, KFSH-Dammam
Additional Members:
1_ Dr. Ayman Abdo, Transplant Hepatologist, King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh
2_ Dr. Ibrahim Al Traif, Transplant Hepatologist, King Fahad National Guard Hospital (KFNGH), Riyadh
3_ Dr. Faisal Sanai, Clinical Hepatologist, Riyadh Military Hospital (RKH), Riyadh
4_ Dr. M. Babatin, Clinical Hepatologist, King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah
5_ Dr. M. Edreesi, Pediatric Hepatologist, Saudi Aramco, Dammam
6_ Dr. Khalid Abdulla, Liver Transplant Surgeon, KFNGH, Riyadh
Key Decisions from the First Year of Executive Board Meetings
1. Meeting on 15 September 2008:
1_ Discussion of the first General Assembly meeting results and the SCHS approval of the election process.
2_ Review of logo design proposals.
3_ Approval of the English name "Saudi Society for Liver Diseases and Transplantation (SASLT)" to align with international standards.
2. Meeting on 09 October 2008:
1_ Approval of the final logo design.
2_ Approval of website content.
3_ Unanimous agreement on collaboration with the Saudi Gastroenterology Association (SGA), with authorization for the President to liaise with the SGA.
3. Meeting on 01 January 2009:
1_ Discussion of a proposed three-year plan, followed by a decision to organize a strategic planning meeting with an external expert.
2_ Approval of proposed interest groups and administrative committees, with activation contingent on website functionality.
3_ Discussion on creating a national database for liver diseases and outlining the best implementation strategies.
4_ Approval of plans for annual scientific meetings and bi-annual regional meetings, along with setting their dates.
4. Meeting on 04 March 2009:
1_ Approval of collaboration initiatives with health authorities and a meeting request with the Minister of Health.
2_ Discussions on building relationships with pharmaceutical companies and strategies for improvement.
3_ Approval of the website progress report.
5. Meeting on 06 May 2009:
1_ Review of the President and Treasurer’s visit to Deputy Minister Dr. Mansour Al Hawasi and identification of potential future opportunities.
2_ Agreement to conduct SASLT's strategic planning session with Dr. Steph Waltson by the end of June.
3_ Emphasis on the need to hire personnel to support SASLT’s activities.
6. Meeting on 25 June 2009:
1_ A strategic plan meeting involving all Executive Board members and the SGA President.
This foundational year established the framework for SASLT’s operations and set the stage for future growth and collaboration within the national and international medical communities.