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 Heart
Friends Around the World took part in the First Panafrican Congress of
Cardiology held in Nairobi, Kenia, from 13 to 16 May 2007.
 Dr
Flavio Burgarella, founder and present executive director of the HFATW,
presented the scientific and humanitarian aims of the Association,
which has its headquarters in Bergamo, Italy, in Via Vittorio Emanuele
21. One of its aims is the publishing and distribution of free copies
of health educational material, particularly aimed at the safeguard
of a healthy heart, such as "Pinocchio and the Sore Throat" - a short
story for the prevention of Rheumatic Fever, a condition, still
endemic in Africa today, which can damage the heart valves after a
common tonsillitis, and "Women's Heart" - a booklet for the prevention
of conditions such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes, which are
now starting to emerge also in the "Dark Continent" and whose
consequences (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure) represent
the first cause for death since they now come before the death rate
caused by infectious diseases even in Sub-Saharian Africa.
 Cardiologists
from different African countries, such as Kenia, Camerum, Angola,
Mozambico, Nigeria and Ethiopia, have become friends with "Heart
Friends" and have decided to set up "organized groups" to promote the
Association's ideas and programmes. In addition to this, a group of
medical students at the University of Nairobi will be founded, coordinated
by the student Kevin Ongeti and by Dr Christine Yulo-Jowi who has
already been to Bergamo as she took part in the programme of the
International Heart School of Prof. Parenzan. It will be affiliated to
the Association and work autonomously on educational programmes in
association with other students groups already active in the
Universities of Venezuela and Slovak Republic. |
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An "Ola" is about to
be formed among medical students from different countries, linked
with "Heart Friends" which raises hopes for a correct life style,
aimed at preserving health. Dr Flavio Burgarella, as a WHO guest,
will give a presentation about his African experience at the
meeting organized by the Welcome Trust Foundation in London from
6th to 9th June. At this meeting a restricted group of experts will
meet to study strategies to improve health in low- and
medium-income countries, where nowadays is present the 80% of
total burden of cardiovascular diseases and where the new health
policies of prevention have not yet been exported to. The African
adventure of the "Friends" will continue in Camerun where we are
invited from 24-27 September by Dr Daniel Lemogoum, President of
the African Society of Hypertension. |
