FIRST PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE TAKES PLACE IN NAIROBI, KENYA
The First All Africa Conference on Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke took place on 13 to 16 May 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya. It was organized by the Pan African Society of Cardiology, also known by its acronym PASCAR, and the Kenya Cardiac Society. The World Heart Federation was a major sponsor and exhibitor.
More than 150 delegates attended the three days of scientific sessions as well as various satellite events. The World Heart Federation was represented by Board member and President of PASCAR Dr Albert Amoah as well as the Director of Science Operations Marilyn Hunn, Chief Operating Officer Helen Alderson, Congress Division Director Adrian Ott and Science Programme Coordinator Susan Davenport.
The scientific sessions focused on the emergent epidemic of cardiovascular disease in Africa, particularly the early detection and treatment of hypertension, cardiac surgery and the prevention and treatment of rheumatic heart disease, valvular heart disease, pediatric heart disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.
The satellite events included the Second International Forum for Hypertension Control and Prevention in Africa, the World Heart Federation Rheumatic Fever Council Workshop on the Prevention of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Africa and the African Heart Network General Meeting and Workshop. In addition, they included the PASCAR General Assembly, at which sitting officers were reconfirmed until the next General Assembly in 2009.
Each of these key presentations was followed by a “meet the experts” event and a panel discussion focusing on the practical management of each topic area in Africa.
There were 74 scientific abstract poster presentations, 14 of which were presented orally.
“The presentations were of the highest quality and the level of patronage far exceeded the expectations of the Congress organizers with participants coming from all regions of Africa, both francophone and anglophone, and from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia,” said PASCAR President Albert Amoah.
PASCAR is set to play a leading scientific role in Africa, notably through its new PASCAR Journal, the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa, and the organization of future continent-wide conferences, which will take place every other year.
The Second All Africa Conference on Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke will take place in 2009. The location has not been decided.
“The World Heart Federation is committed to assisting PASCAR along this path,” Ms Hunn said.
Keynote speakers included Prof. George A. Mensah of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prof. Eiljah Ogola of the University of Nairobi, Prof. Salim Yusuf of McMasters University in Canada and Prof. Willem J. Remme of the Sticares Cardiovascular Research Institute in The Netherlands.
The World Heart Federation exhibited information about its campaigns against the global epidemic of cardiovascular disease and about the next World Congress of Cardiology, which will take place in May 2008 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
