Dermatological care for all "A basic human right"

Second International Congress
“Dermatological Care for All: A Basic Human Right”
Ethiopia (Addis Ababa / Mekele), 6-9 November 2007
Under the Patronage of:
Tigray Health Bureau (THB)
Ethiopian Embassy in Rome
Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
SPECIAL SESSION
1. Migration and health
2. Migration and infectious diseases
3. Migration and dermatology
4. War, health and human rights
5. Women and health (FGM, pregnancy, delivery, maternal and neonatal health)
6. Child and health
COMMUNITY DERMATOLOGY
1. Public health in dermatology
2. Community dermatology
3. Globalization and dermatology
HIV/AIDS AND OTHER STIs
1. Worldwide look at HIV/AIDS and other STIs
2. STIs and AIDS
3. HIV Infection and Kaposi’s sarcoma
4. Vulvar pathologies non STs
5. Clinical quiz and discussion
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
1. Bacterial diseases
2. Viral diseases
3. Parasitic/helmintic diseases
4. Protozoan diseases
5. “Tropical” infectious diseases
ECZEMA
1. Eczema
2. Atopic dermatitis
3. Allergic diseases
LEPROSY
1. Transmission of leprosy
2. Clinical aspects of leprosy
3. Prevention of disabilities and rehabilitation in leprosy
BULLOUS PATHOLOGIES
1. Pemphigus
2. Pemphigoides
3. Other bullous diseases
SKIN AND APPENDICES
1. Disorders of hair growth in black skin
2. Onicopathies
3. Glandular diseases
ONCOLOGY
1. Melanoma
2. Basal cell and spinal cell epithelioma
3. Cutaneous methastasis of systemic neoplasias
4. Non cutaneous neoplasias
IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES
1. Lupus erythematosus
2. Scleroderma
3. Dermatomyositis
4. Other
PLASTIC SURGERY
1. Leprosy disabilities
2. Congenital defects and anomalies
3. Ulcers management
4. Surgery of war injuries
AESTHETIC AND COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY
1. Bleaching agents
2. Hair products
CUTANEOUS HISTOPATHOLOGY

For the second time the scientific congress “Dermatological Care for All: A Basic Human Right” was held in Ethiopia. It was organized by the Department of Preventive Medicine of Migration, Tourism and Tropical Dermatology of the San Gallicano Institute in Rome and the International institute for Social, Medical and Anthropological Science (IISMAS, a non-profit organization, with the support of the International Society of Dermatology (ISD).

Researchers and doctors from the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Holland, India, Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia and Italy took part in the event.

The purpose of the congress was to give the participants the opportunity to share their experiences in community dermatology by comparing different clinical approaches in order to spread sustainable dermatologic treatments and health training in developing countries.

The opening of the Congress took place in Addis Ababa on 6 November before the Ethiopian and Italian health authorities and press.

The main health projects financed by the Italian Cooperation in Ethiopia and the funds provided by the Italian government were presented. Dr. Gebre Ab Barnabas, Tigray Minister of Health, pointed out the results of the first experimental year of Coartem, a drug used to prevent malaria. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Health, the WHO Agency of Geneva, the Novartis Farma and the San Gallicano Institute in Rome. The outcomes are encouraging since they show a 50% decrease in mortality rate.

As scheduled, numerous members of the international scientific community gave their contributions, attracting the attention of the participants and stimulating a debate on the health policies in developing countries. At the end of the opening session, the Italian Ambassador Raffaele De Lutio received the participants in the Italian Embassy. Among the Authorities is to be mentioned Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.

On November, 7 the participants moved to Mekele for the clinic session in the “Italian Dermatological Centre IISMAS”. During three days, through medical examinations, they had the opportunity to observe the local situation with regard to skin and infectious diseases. It has been also discussed and pointed out the necessity to start a campaign against mercury and steroid soaps, since their use is widely diffusing in Africa.

At the end of the debate, the participants underlined the need to create the Community Dermatology International (CDI) association, in order to diffuse and enhance dermatologic treatments and health training in developing countries by using the best low-cost technologies. CDI should encourage the participation of all the professionals involved in skin treatments, community workers and experts in infectious diseases, sociology, anthropology and nursing.