Brief report on the First Asian Vaccine Conference (ASVAC) 2009

         The First Asian Vaccine Conference (ASVAC) 2009 with the theme “Improving Child Survival through Vaccination” organized by Asian Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ASPID), National Pediatric Hospital Cambodia (NPH), International Society of Tropical Pediatrics – Philippines (ISTP-Ph) and Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) was held at Royal Angkor Resort, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia from August 20-22, 2009 with Professor Lulu C Bravo as the over-all chair. Many distinguished international speakers were invited as well as the members of the Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal disease Prevention (ASAP), the EPI and National immunization Program managers of many Asian countries and the leaders of the 4 organizing societies, ASPID, NPH, ISTP-Ph and PFV.There were 350 participants from several countries mainly from Asia.

         The ASVAC 2009 highlights the role of immunization in the control and prevention of childhood illnesses that claim the lives of millions of children each year. Almost 4 million lives could be saved every year in the world if these vaccines could be universally available to the children especially of the developing countries of Asia and Africa. The conference focus the value of vaccination and how this can contribute to the achievement of the 4th millennium development goal.

         The Scientific Program comprised Key Note Message of “Improving child survival in resources-limited countries: Focus on vaccination”, Plenary, and Symposium sessions. Presentations covered The value of vaccination, The basic of immunology, Assessing new vaccines for inclusion in the national immunization programs, Advances in vaccination: 21st century solutions to age-old diseases, Vaccine for all ages, Getting new vaccines into the national immunization programs, New vaccines in the horizon: dengue, AIDS, Malaria and TB, Practical considerations in immunization, Vaccine as a social right, Communicating value of vaccines, Sharing best practices in immunization . Participants participated fully in the accompanying discussions.

         The signing of “Siem Reap Declaration 2009” by all country representatives and organizations were done as its output will call on all Asian governments, health care workers, NGOs, industry, professional and civil societies and all policy makers to recognize the value of immunization and support the introduction of new underutilized vaccines that have been found to be safe and efficacious for the control of childhood illnesses.

         The ASVAC 2009 was successful in sharing the strategies and activities to achieve universal vaccination by various groups and is feasible which could be adopted by the community at large.

Professor Usa Thisyakorn, M.D.
Secretary General, Asian Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases
President, the 9th international Congress of Tropical Pediatrics 2011

 World Pneumonia Day, 2^nd November 2009

         Pneumonia is the number one killer of children, killing 2 million children every year-more HIV/AIDS, measles, and malaria combined. It was estimated that there will be 1 child dead every 12 seconds. After diarrhea, pneumonia kills more Thai children than any other diseases, accounting for 16% of the country’s under-five deaths. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type B are the two leading causes of child pneumonia. Preventing these deaths is an essential part of a successful maternal, newborn and child health strategy. However, childhood pneumonia has been in a low priority on the global health agenda. That is why we invite you to join the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia for World Pneumonia Day, November 2nd, 2009 by wearing blue. Moreover, you can join the World Pneumonia Day by visiting http://worldpneumoniaday.org

We did organize a round table discussion entitled" Roles for S. pneumoniae in Pandemic Flu & Virus associated Pneumonia" on June 30, 2008 at Four Seasons Hotel , Bangkok, Thailand. We have Prof. Shabir A Madhi from South Africa as a guest speaker and Prof. Usa Thisyakorn from Thailand as a moderator. There were many pediatricians and clinicians participated in this round table discussion including policy makers from Ministry of Public Health, professors and lecturers from several medical schools in Bangkok as well as the doctors from private sectors. All power point presentations have displayed on our website(with permission).

 Congratulations!!!

         Prof. Usa Thisyakorn is one of the recipients of the Outstanding Asian Pediatrician Award 2009. The award is in recognition for her outstanding contribution in the field of Pediatrics. The award will be presented during the Congress’s opening ceremony of the 13th Asian Pacific Congress of Pediatrics (APCP) on October 14, 2009.

         The 13th APCP will be held at Shanghai International Convention Center (SICC) in Shanghai, China, from October 14-18, 2009.

 Professor Michal B. Krawinkel visiting

           Professor Michael B. Krawinkel, the Executive Director of International Society of Tropical Pediatrics and a president of Germany Associations for Tropical Pediatrics. visited Thailand Chapter of International Society of Tropical Pediatrics (TCISTP) on Wednesday 29th July 2009. He also gave a talk on “The value of Asian-Africa Collaboration in Food & Health Security” at 11:00-12:00 am, the Lecture room, 3rd Floor, the, Chamlong Harinasuta Building, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University.

           You can view the picture gallery of the talk in an archive

Brief report on the 4th biregional meeting on the control of Japanese encephalitis

            The 4th biregional meeting on the control of Japanese encephalitis (JE) supported by PATH and WHO was held at Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand from June 8-9, 2009 with 70 participants from international organizations namely AFRIMS, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CDC, IPA, PATH, UNICEF, WHO and representatives from several countries in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific Regions.
            The meeting started with updating of the JE control in both regions, global update on policies and programs and progress of the PATH JE project since the last meeting in 2007. Representatives from some countries of both regions presented their experiences in defining disease burden and progress with JE laboratory initiative and diagnostics. The meeting focuses mainly on JE control, with updating on JE vaccines including future JE vaccine candidates. All of the participating countries also presented their national planning for future JE control after small groups of countries shared experiences. The conclusion was finally made on the global control plan as a framework for national planning and the mobilizing support at the national and international levels.
           

           The 4th biregional meeting on the control of JE was successful in opening dialogue of JE worldwide, exchanging ideas, sharing informations and breakthroughs. Most of all it creates the worldwide partnerships and networking on the control of JE.

Professor Usa Thisyakorn
IPA Representative to the 4th biregional meeting on the control of JE
President, 9th International Congress of Tropical Pediatrics

Report on the 2nd International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever

         The 2nd International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, led by Professor Emeritus Prasert Thongcharoen, was held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Phuket, Thailand, October 14-16, 2008. Nine hundred and forty-one participants from 47 countries joined the meeting, to review the current dengue situation and research conducted to date, and to ascertain what still needed to be done.

The 1st International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever was convened in Chiangmai, Thailand, November 20-24, 2000, and aimed to strengthen efforts to control dengue in the new millennium.

The forum for the 2nd International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, consisting of physicians, nurses, academics, and scientists from both governmental and non-governmental organizations, gave everyone the opportunity to exchange their experiences, skills and techniques, including new conceptual research into approaches to prevention and control of the disease, reflecting the theme “Global innovation to fight dengue”.

The Scientific Program comprised state-of-the-art, plenary, and symposium sessions in which dengue experts participated. Presentations covered virology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, immune response, new tools for laboratory diagnostic methods, clinical management, surveillance, vector biology and ecology, community involvement, and vaccine development. Participants had the opportunity to deliver 84 oral presentations and display 212 posters. Dengue experts from all around the world participated fully in the accompanying discussions.

The 2nd International Conference on Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever was a successful event, identifying research priorities, improving surveillance, vector control, better case diagnosis and management, and the development of effective vaccines. Most of all, it created and consolidated a worldwide network that transcends borders, extending not only to experts, practitioners, researchers and scientists, but to the wider community, as well.

Professor Usa Thisyakorn, M.D.
President, 9th International Congress of Tropical Pediatrics, 2011
Executive Committee, International Society of Tropical Pediatrics

Report on the 8th International Congress of Tropical Pediatrics (8thICTP)

         The 8th International Congress of Tropical Pediatrics (ICTP), led by Prof. Lulu C. Bravo, was held at Manila Hotel, Manila, Philippines from April 11-13, 2008 with 1,800 participants from more than 20 countries.The theme “Improving Child Survival: A Continuing Challenge” covered a broad spectrum of relevant issues that influence child survival in both medical and non-medical settings.

The International Society of Tropical Pediatrics (ISTP) was founded 22 years ago, with the purpose of bringing together the chapters and members of the ISTP for bringing to children in the tropics, the blessing of good health and a better quality of life. Previous meetings have been held in Bangkok, Thailand (1987); Kenya (1990); Luxor, Egypt (1993); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1996); Jaipur, India (1999); Ankara, Turkey (2002); Sham El Sheik, Egypt (2005); Manila, Philippines (2008). The opening ceremony of the 8th ICTP started in the early morning of the 11th April, 2008 with a “March for Children’s Right to Survive” by a big crowd demonstrating for a much stronger commitment not just of medical staff but of government as well as international organizations and the private sector. An inspiring opening speech was delivered by Professor Hussein Bahaa El Din, the President of ISTP and the former Minister of Education, Egypt.

The scientific program focused on improving child survival worldwide expanding from support for pregnant women and mothers, improved neonatal care, child feeding, immunizations, to management of childhood illnesses including dengue, malaria and tuberculosis. Eminent speakers from 5 continents presented the most recent information. Special attention was given to immunizations. Whereas in many resource-poor areas of the world, health services providing immunizations are deficient and cannot meet the task, in more developed areas an increasing lack of awareness and ignorance concerning immunizations is observed with great worries of pediatricians about future epidemics. At the closing, young investigator award was given to Dr. Wasana Hongkan from Chonburi, Thailand for poster presentation on “Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus: The initial experience in Chonburi Hospital”.

the 8th ICTP was a successful event in opening dialoque of Tropical Pediatrics worldwide, exchanging ideas, sharing new informations. Most of all, it creates the worldwide partnerships that can cross borders not only to specialists, practitioners, researchers and scientists, but to the patients as well.

Professor Usa Thisyakorn, M.D.
President, the 9th International Congress of Tropical Pediatrics
Executive Committee, International Society of Tropical Pediatric