September 26, 2019

Argentina – Patients’ meeting in Santa Fe and physicians meeting in Bahía Blanca

After a brief presentation of the participants, the opening of the event was done by Dr Miguel Galicchio and welcome remarks were given by the Minister of Health of the Santa Fe Government, Dr Andrea Uboldi, whom we thank deeply for her time, for learning about PIDs and sharing part of the journey with us. Next, the President of AAPIDP, Mrs Roberta A. de Pena, talked about the work that the Association does and about future activities, services, alliances and legal issues on health rights.

Two main health care topics were discussed with great interest from the audience: Mental health care in patients with chronic disease, by Dr Patricia Vázquez, and ‘I have a PID, what nutritional measures do I have to consider?’, by Dr Viviana Buitras.

Families had time to interact and exchange experiences and teenagers in attendance had a dedicated workshop. 

Ms Gloria Berardo addressed the subject of access to treatment in the talk ‘Health Rights, the role of Social Service and, How do I ask for help?’. As a result, AAPIDP decided to try to facilitate things for patients and has meanwhile requested a meeting with the Disability Directorate and with auditors from the evaluation committees to address the issues raised in the meeting.

The meeting ended with a panel discussion coordinated by Dr Miguel Galicchio where families could clarify their doubts.

AAPIDP would like to thank the speakers for their help  as well as CSL BEHRING and the We Are One Patient’s Program  for making this Regional Meeting possible.

1ST Patagonic clinical immunology meeting in Bahía Blanca

The 1st Patagonic Clinical Immunology Meeting took place in the event hall of the National Southern University, on August 23. The meeting was organised by AAPIDP together with the Immunology Professorship (Department of Biology, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, UNS) and the Interdisciplinary Health Team from Bahía (pediatrics, clinical medicine, dermatology, infectiology, rheumatology and laboratory) with an attendance of 117 professionals.

The meeting was intended for general practitioners, pediatricians, biochemists  as well as for  medicine and biochemistry students, and counted with the sponsorship from 11 academic entities.

Dr María Inés Prat, from the BBYF Department of the National Southern University, opened the event and Mrs Roberta Anido de Pena presented the work of the patient association. Several medical lectures followed, dedicated to Primary Immunodeficiency’s Classification, Warning Signs in adult patients and in paediatric patients, Diagnostic Tools in Primary Immunodeficiencies, Autoimmunity, Humoral PIDs in adults and Common Variable Immunodeficiency. Guest speakers included Dr Gustavo Vijodit, Dr Ignacio Uriarte, Andrea Bender and  Dr Leila Ferreyra Mufarregue. The meeting ended with two panel discussions on “Clinical Cases” discussed by professionals from different specialities.
A new educational meeting for physicians is planned for next year in Bahía Blanca, paired with a patients’ gathering.

AAPIDP would like to thank CSL Behring , Grifols Argentina and the We Are One patients’ program for their sponsorship for this meeting.