The WAO International Scientific Conference (WISC 2012) which for the first time was held in India under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and was organised by the World Allergy Organization (WAO) from 6-9 December in Hyderabad, concluded with a Patient Forum held at Apollo Hospital that stressed the need for high-quality allergen extracts and allergen-specific IgE tests for Indian foods, and celiac reagents/tests. It also called for additional training of paediatricians, allergists and other clinicians to help combat the impact of this growing health problem. The experts emphasised the need for additional data and labeling policies which are considered essential to enable consumers and exporters of Indian food and packaged products to take informed decisions.
The conference was attended by more than 1,000 representatives of universities and scientific organisations from across the country and the globe. The conference spanned four days offered an enlightening range of educational sessions for physicians and allied health care professionals. Global medical experts who participated in the WISC shared their ideas and new information on the emerging science of allergy and treatment for serious diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic skin diseases.
The World Allergy Organization also featured the WAO White Book on Allergies – an advocacy document that offers high-level recommendations toward creating a more integrated and holistic approach for diagnosis and management of allergic diseases which are fast assuming alarming proportions and pose a major threat to public health. The publication was distributed to policy makers in the Indian Ministry of Health, The Indian Council of Medical Research, patient organisations and other medical associations.
The WISC also concluded with an agreement of WAO to work in collaboration with Ministry of Health and other medical associations, with the aim of establishing implementation groups in India to improve medical practices for the betterment of quality of life for patients affected with allergies. To raise awareness among children a painting competition on the theme “What do allergies look like?” was also held at Apollo hospital on last day of the conference.
“As the prevalence of allergic disease and asthma rises in countries around the world especially among children regardless of their economic status, so do the socio-economic costs both direct such as interference with breathing during day or night, emergency department visits, and hospitalisations, and indirect such as reduced quality of life, reduced work productivity and absenteeism,” said Professor Ruby Pawankar, WISC Conference President and President of the World Allergy Organization. “This is an issue that calls for all countries, irrespective of their economic status, join forces in addressing a major global challenge that threatens health of the people at large and national economies alike”, she added.
EH News Bureau
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