Agra, Feb 7 (IANS) Top international gurus of neuro-surgery will share invaluable knowledge and pass on the latest skills to 200 Indian doctors at a two-day workshop in the city of the Taj, beginning Feb 13.

The first of its kind educational programme in the country is being held at the initiative of the World Federation of Neuro-surgical Societies and the Asian-Australian Society of neurological surgeons, said organising secretary Dr R.C. Mishra.

Among the experts delivering lectures will be Peter Black from Boston, who writes text books for medical students world over, Albino Bricolo (Italy), Andrew Kaye (Australia), Armando Basso (Buenos Aires), Concezio Di Rocco (France), and Jacques Bratchi (Belgium), among others.

The event called 'Updates by the Best' has attracted worldwide attention already with a flood of inquiries from all over, Mishra told IANS.

The two-day hectic schedule includes special presentation on brain tumours and problems of the spinal cord.

'For Agra, it is a huge feather in the cap. Not only practising neuro-surgeons but also students will get an opportunity to interact with the best brains in the world,' Mishra said.

In India, there is still acute shortage of neuro-surgeons. 'With a population three times of the US, we have only around 1,200, while America has 4,000 neuro-surgeons. In recent years, there has been a major thrust in the awareness and detection levels. A high level of technological advances have made surgical operations in this crucial field comparatively safer.

'A city like Agra now has a dozen neuro-surgeons, nine neuro-physicians, four MRI and 12 CT scanner centres. Our work is fairly advanced, almost world-class in this field,' Mishra added.