PRESIDENT'S NEWSLETTER

Much has happened over the past year. As a result of the current global financial crisis, the health budgets are being cut in many countries. This will affect children's health, particularly in developing countries. We need to ensure that the young patients, the most vulnerable, are protected from the financial threat.

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, the sole aim of WOFAPS is to improve surgical care of children throughout the world. I am pleased to report that despite the challenging current economic times, The WOFAPS Foundation has had a good response to its fundraising efforts. As a result of your donations, an announcement was placed in the December issue of all the three paediatric surgical journals inviting applications for WOFAPS Foundation Scholarships. These scholarships enable young paediatric surgeons from developing countries to spend two to three months of clinical observership in well recognised and established paediatric surgical teaching centres in various parts of the world. I am most thankful to the many paediatric surgeons who have contributed to the WOFAPS Foundation. Your generosity will provide opportunity to young paediatric surgeons from developing countries to learn new surgical techniques and therapies and thus improve the surgical care of children in their countries. Once again, I urge all paediatric surgeons to contribute generously to the WOFAPS Foundation.

In Istanbul we decided that the WOFAPS Executive Committee in future will meet twice a year, a regional meeting in addition to the main meeting. This year the regional meeting is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong at the occasion of the Pacific Association of Paediatric Surgeon's meeting, on Monday 11th May 2009, and the main WOFAPS Executive Committee meeting will take place in Graz at the occasion of the combined EUPSA/BAPS meeting on Saturday June 20th 2009. The WOFAPS Executive Committee is looking forward to welcoming and meeting delegates from various countries in Hong Kong as well as in Graz.

In order to provide quality surgical care to children it is essential that we have the highest possible standards of education. The WOFAPS sub-committee for education under the Chairmanship of Professor Benno Ure, is busy organising training courses for young paediatric surgeons as well as arranging visits for senior surgeons to various paediatric surgical centres in developing countries to teach new surgical techniques.

Professor Devendra Gupta is working hard making arrangements for the 3rd World Congress of Paediatric Surgery to be held in New Delhi in October 2010. I visited the proposed venue of the meeting last November. I will again be visiting New Delhi in April 2009 to finalise the venue of the congress as well as select various hotels for accommodation. A detailed report on the progress of arrangements for this meeting will be made available at the Executive Board meeting in Graz. Looking at the initial arrangements I am sure that the 3rd World Congress of Pediatric Surgery is going to be highly successful and memorable surgical meeting.

As always, Professor Boix Ochoa, our Secretary General, has been highly supportive and energetic. I am repeatedly surprised by his absolute commitment to this organisation.

I look forward very much to meeting you in Hong Kong and again in Graz.

Prem Puri
President, WOFAPS
February, 2009