Healthcare | Saturday 10 September, 2016 11:57 am |

Dr. Yasser Nakhlawi, Director of Clinical Affairs and Consultant Paediatrician at Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai, UAE urges his fellow paediatricians to develop effective paediatric strategies to reduce child mortality rates.
"Children are the main component of next generations. Thus, their health is of a major importance to us, yet there are global daunting challenges facing child health. There is an increase in child mortality rates. WHO estimates that 8.8 million deaths occur annually among infant and children less than 5 year–old. Thus there is a crucial need to apply a better approach in managing child diseases,” says Dr. Yasser Nakhlawi, Consultant in Pediatrics and Director of Clinical Affairs at Al Zahra Private Hospital in Dubai. Dr. Nakhlawi is also the Congress Chairman of the 2nd Annual International Paediatric Medical Congress taking place on 24 – 26 November this year in Dubai.

Dr. Nakhlawi  added, "In this sense, the International Paediatric Medical Congress is considered a perfect platform to discuss the major challenges facing child health, with the participation of international experts of various disciplines in paediatrics. Furthermore, the congress includes an intensive scientific programme that focuses on the practical management of paediatric and the latest evidence-based clinical data, as well as specialised sessions that aim to explore the latest best practices in the treatment and care of children, which will contribute to the development of effective strategies that address major challenges facing paediatricians in the region".The Congress is now on its second year after its successful launch in 2015. It is currently supported by regional and international health associations such as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), Bahrain Medical Society, Saudi Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (SASPGHAN), and Kenya Paediatric Association.

This year's agenda provides a comprehensive review of the current issues and recent advances in selected paediatric subspecialty areas that tackle paediatric neurodevelopment disorders, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, critical care and emergencies. Furthermore, the congress will feature interactive case-studies, panel discussions, educational workshops, networking sessions and platform presentations. The Congress is sponsored by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi Pasteur, JOHNSON'S baby, Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, and American Hospital Dubai.

Regional and international healthcare experts in different areas of paediatrics will come together in this congress including:Dr.Ali Mahidibi, Consultant of Pediatric Gastroenterology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, KSA; Dr. Alastair Baker, Consultant Paediatrics Hepatology, Kings College NHS Foundation Trust London, UK; Dr. Ahmed Kamali, Consultant Paediatric Cardiology, Head of Paediatrics Department, Dubai Hospital, UAE; Dr. Bernard Gerbaka, MD, Chairman of Paediatrics Department, Hotel-Deiu University Hospital and President of Lebanese Institute for Child Health, Lebanon; Dr.Farida Al Hosani, Adjunct Associate Professor, UAE University College of Medicine, UAE; and Dr.Mostafa Abdelaziz Hodhod, MD, CT, HRD, Professor of Paediatrics & Paediatric Gastroenterology, Ain Shams University, Egypt.