We welcome you to join the 7th Global Forum on Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, to be held in Geneva from June 20-22, 2011 at The Geneva University Hospital. As in 2003, 2005,2007 and 2009 the humanitarian Association “Hearts for All” is organizing the Global Forum in partnership with Geneva University Hospital, World Heart Foundation and the support of the World Health Organisation.

The Congress is being organised with the aim to continue to address key issues facing numerous developing countries including the shortage of financial, material and human resources, which are often aggravated by adverse economic conditions and loss of trained personnel towards richer countries, as well as, problems due to shortage of technology and lack of education. The importance of teamwork and research in building sustainable programs will be key issues in 2011.

Numerous governmental and non-governmental agencies have provided excellent humanitarian medical assistance for a large number of populations in need. Nevertheless, to present, this assistance has been “reactive” and was offered as an answer to natural disasters and wars. These programmes have been certainly useful, but have only been of a punctual, time-limited nature and therefore have not resulted in long capacity-building projects.

The Forum was started in 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland with the objective of becoming an international decision-taking forum to improve cooperation and assistance to the Third World in the capacity building of their health sector, and meet future and emerging challenges, with special reference to cardiovascular diseases. At the 3rd Global Forum in 2007 a Children’s International Database executive committee was formed to establish an international quality improvement collaborative for congenital heart surgery in developing countries.  The 4th Global Forum was held as a regional meeting in the Dominican Republic in December 2008.  The 5th Global Forum was held in Geneva, Switzerland and focused on the importance of the team in developing sustainable programs. The 6th Global Forum is to be held in Chennai, India, in November 2010, with special focus on the Asian continent.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading non-communicable diseases in industrialized countries and a rapidly growing disease in the developing countries. With the Global Forum we wish to open a dialogue among different international partners to gather better knowledge concerning the needs of poorer populations; and target available economic, technical and human resources, in order to consolidate and coordinate these efforts in the most cost-effective and best sustainable manner.

We believe that time has come to reflect on the past failures and achievements with the challenge to create a strong partnership among all of us and to build a successful collaboration for the future. For this reason, international specialists in the area of humanitarian and cardiovascular medicine have been invited, as well as, representatives from international non-governmental organisations working in the area in order to further share their ideas and experience. By coming together, we are sure to find the best solutions for better health and quality of life to the poorer populations of the world.

 7th Global Forum on Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, June 20-22, 2011

 The 7th Global Forum in Geneva will focus on plenary and panel discussions with the active participation from the audience.

The 7th Global Forum will focus on the role of research in developing sustainable programs in developing countries.

The second key issue to be discussed during 7th Global Forum is what could our role be in relation to the WHO’s Action plan for implementation of the Global strategy for prevention and control of Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) where certainly cardiovascular disease is by far the largest part.     A major challenge is also to build a new and strong partnership between the bio-technical and pharmaceutical industry local governments, NGOs and donor organisations.

 The Organizing Committee wish to give you a warm welcome to Geneva and look forward to seeing you in June 2011 and look forward to an intensive and fruitful discussion over the coming 3 days

 Sincerely Yours, 

            Prof. Afksendiyos Kalangos               Dr Jan T. Christenson                                       President Global Forum                    Secretary General Global Forum