Goa is to host a prestigious international conference on rheumatic heart disease and rheumatic fever from October 6 to 11 this year.The meet, to be held for the first time in a developing country, is being organised by AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Vaccine Research GBF, Braunchweig, Germany. It aims to bring together those working on public health issues, the diagnosis, the understanding and the control of streptococcal diseases and the characteristics and the genetics of streptococci, organising secretary of the meet Dr K. Talwar said.Rheumetic heart disease is still a major cardio-vascular problem in India and other developing countries. About five per thousand children suffer from it, needing major surgical procedures, Dr Talwar said.However, he added, timely therapeutic and preventive intervention can control it. Hence, the theme of the symposium is ‘‘Fight against rheumetic fever and rheumetic heart disease’’. The symposium will provide a forum for Indian participants to interact with the experts in these field from all over the world.Further, this meeting would provide participants with exciting and innovative ideas for the study, diagnosis and control of streptococcal infection and its sequelae.DG, ICMR Professor N.K. Ganguly, would be the Chairman of the Symposium and distinguished medical scientist from GBF Braunchweig, Prof G.S. Chhatwal, would be the International Secretary for the conference. More than 250 delegates will be attending the symposium including more than 150 foreign delegates.
