WORLD HEART FEDERATION APPOINTS ITS NEXT PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT ELECT
WORLD HEART FEDERATION APPOINTS ITS NEXT PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT ELECT
Saturday 2nd September 2006, World Congress of Cardiology, Barcelona – today the
World Heart Federation appointed eminent figures as new President and President Elect.
From January 2007 for two years, Professor Shahryar Sheikh will become President and Professor Pekka Puska, President Elect of the World Heart Federation, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to the global prevention of heart disease and stroke, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.
Professor Sheikh, based in Lahore, Pakistan, brings considerable experience in cardiovascular disease and prevention, particularly in developing countries. In his role as President he will lead the World Heart Federation’s work in awareness building, advocacy, sharing science and demonstration projects, which are critical to the mission of World Heart Federation. In addition, his objective is to build and strengthen even stronger relations between the World Heart Federation and its member societies and
foundations.
“To have a positive impact on cardiovascular disease in developing countries, we need to listen and understand the needs of the people,” explains Professor Sheikh.
Professor Sheikh’s unique experience of having worked with major cardiac organizations, such as World Heart Federation, the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology will greatly assist him in his role as President of the World Heart Federation.
Professor Puska brings considerable experience of working in public health policy. He is Finnish and helped develop Finland’s health system which is widely recognised as a role model in terms of health care resource allocation and management. For over 25 years Professor Puska has focused on the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Before becoming President Elect he was Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Finland. Professor Puska acquired international experience working with the World Health Organization as Director for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion.
Other highlights in Professor Puska’s career include being member of Finland’s national
Parliament and President of the Finnish Heart Association. Whilst he was Director and Principal Investigator of the North Karelia Project he was able to help achieve an 80% decline in annual heart disease mortality among the working age population in this region.
The project is internationally recognised as a model for successful population based prevention of cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases. “Working with the World Heart Federation I will be able to concentrate more on the health issues and less on major stakeholder politics and hope to make a real difference to the global health agenda,” said Professor Puska.
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About the World Heart Federation
The World Heart Federation, a nongovernmental organization based in Geneva,
Switzerland, is committed to helping the global population achieve a longer and better life
through prevention and control of heart disease and stroke, with a particular focus on lowand
middle-income countries. It is comprised of 189 member societies of cardiology and
heart foundations from over 100 countries covering the regions of Asia-Pacific, Europe,
the Americas and Africa. For further information visit: www.worldheart.org
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