Regional Workshop in Colombia focuses on connecting Latin America’s nephrologists
Some 25 participants from across Latin America gathered in Cartagena at the ISN Regional Workshop to share knowledge and discuss the major issues the nephrology community in Latin America is facing in 2018.
Presidents of ISN, the Latin America Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH) and the Colombian Society of Nephrology were also present to weigh in on these issues and connect with nephrologists from the region.
Program highlights included a global overview of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) treatment by ISN President David Harris followed by a commentary on the challenges of ESKD treatment in Latin America by SLANH president Alfonso Cueto Manzano.
Raul Lombardi zoomed in on the challenges of renal care during natural disasters, highlighting the ISN Renal Disaster Relief Taskforce’s important work in such situations.
Thereafter, three national case studies were presented: El Salvador, with its alarming chronic kidney disease of unknown origin epidemic. Uruguay and Colombia followed with success stories about national registries and universal dialysis health coverage.
These captivating presentations were followed by an open forum discussion with all participants on the various issues in nephrology throughout Latin America; country stories were shared on ESKD care in Bolivia and Mexico, import tax issues on dialysis machines and supplies were also discussed, along with the Venezuelan crisis and how the global nephrology community should lend support to nephrologists and patients.
With these issues in mind, the group discussed how ISN and SLANH could work hand in hand to better support the issues brought up at this workshop in the future. In her closing remarks, ISN Latin America Regional Board Deputy Chair Laura Sola underlined the major role of the ISN Regional Board members to remain attentive to the issues and needs in the region and translate these into concrete ISN action and operational plans.
