December 19, 2017
10th MSPID Congress and 1st Maghreb Ig Expert meeting
The Moroccan Society for Primary Immunodeficiencies (MSPID) organised its 10th Congress, dedicated to “Genetic predisposition to infection, Inflammation and Allergy” along with the 1st Maghreb Immunoglobulin Expert meeting. The meetings took place in Casablanca, on October 5-7 and gave medical experts the opportunity to learn from each other about management of primary immunodeficiencies in the region.
By Martine Pergent, IPOPI vice-president
The programme of both meetings was very interesting with topics that included new developments in PIDs, new developments in Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID), respiratory diseases in adults, genetic testing, clinical management and vaccination. The introduction of subcutaneous administration of immunoglobulins (SCIG) in Morocco was done recently and several Moroccan patients and parent were invited to give their testimonies on their experience with SCIG. They feel very proud to be able to manage themselves.
Speakers and participants brought different experiences from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, France, Senegal, Saudi Arabia and Germany and shared their views.
I was invited, as IPOPI vice-president and as a representative for Africa, to give a talk on the Potential for Management for PIDs in Africa from a Patient Perspective after an IPOPI article with the same name was published in the Health Moroccan magazine and replicated in the October ASID letter.
This was a great meeting, with important contents, sharing, even decision, including celebration and friendship, all for the sake of PID patients in the region.
Highlights from the region:
- The medical Moroccan Society for PID and the national patient group Hajar are doing a fabulous job settling a national PID network, paying part of the medicines for patients when necessary, enrolling young doctors and trying to create their specific PID clinic.
- The Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) platform, led by Prof Bejaoui from Tunis Pasteur Institute, is growing and being given better facilities in Tunisia.
- The preparations for ASID 2019 are going well! ASID chair Prof Tandakha Dieye, from Dakar, Senegal and his colleague Dr Indou Deme have chosen the venue linked to the scientific world to emphasize the existence of PIDs and raising awareness in the hosting country and in the region.
- Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria have decided on joint efforts to improve the access to Immunoglobulins.