Sudanese physician and gastroenterologist Dr Abdel Mounem El Tayeib Abdo has been named one of the recipients of the 2026 Masters of the WGO Award by the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO).
The Master of the WGO Award is the highest honour the WGO can bestow on a member. It recognises individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the organisation’s mission and achieved distinction in areas including scholarly research, teaching, service to the WGO, and contributions to the wider community.
Dr Abdo is a consultant physician, interventional gastroenterologist, and Director of the National Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (NCGLD) in Sudan. Established in 2002, the centre is a leading institution for gastroenterology and hepatology care, research, and training. It serves as a major referral centre for complex gastrointestinal and liver conditions, providing advanced services including liver transplantation and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), as well as specialised medical training.
Dr Abdo also serves as Director of the WGO Khartoum Training Center and Vice President of the Sudanese Society of Gastroenterology. He holds leadership positions in regional organisations, including the Panarab Association of Gastroenterology. His clinical and research interests include hepatitis, chronic liver diseases, portal hypertension, and advanced interventional endoscopy, particularly ERCP.
The other recipients of the 2026 Masters of the WGO Award are Ronnie Fass of the United States, Guilherme Macedo of Portugal, Grażyna Maria Rydzewska of Poland, Fayez Sandouk of Syria, and Shiv Kumar Sarin of India.
The award recognises outstanding career-long contributions to gastroenterology and aims to provide incentive, encouragement, and guidance to others making significant contributions to their fields. It is a capstone career award presented in conjunction with each World Congress of Gastroenterology.
Recipients receive an engraved plaque presented during the WGO General Assembly, as well as recognition in WGO publications and on its website. They may also use the title “Master of the WGO”, or “MWGO”, in conjunction with their name.
The 2026 Masters of the WGO recipients will be honoured at the World Congress of Gastroenterology 2026, which will take place in New Delhi, India, from 30 September to 3 October 2026.
The WGO is a federation of more than 100 member societies and four regional associations representing over 60,000 individual members worldwide. The organisation focusses on improving standards in training, education, and the practice of gastroenterology, hepatology, and related disciplines around the world.
The WGO presents several awards in conjunction with each World Congress of Gastroenterology and at meetings of its regional affiliate associations. These include the Bockus Medal and Lecture, the Brohée Medal and Lecture, the Trailblazer Award for Excellence in Medicine, and the WGO Distinguished Global Lecture. For more information, visit worldgastroenterology.org/meetings/awards.
