6th World Congress of Medical Polonia
Anna Wyszynska
'Plagues of our times - cardiovascular diseases, cancer, accidents' is the theme of the 6th World Congress of Medical Polonia, which will be held in Czestochowa in a few months. The Congress will begin with Mass in the Chapel of our Lady, the chapel of the Miraculous Picture of the Mother of God at Jasna Gora, on 21 June 2006. The Mass will be celebrated by: Archbishop Stanislaw Nowak of Czestochowa, Archbishop Wladyslaw Ziolek of Lodz and national chaplain for health services, and Rev. Msgr Ireneusz Skubis, editor-in-chief of the Catholic Weekly 'Niedziela'.
The first announcements of the Congress aroused great interest. In December 2005 the programme had to be expanded in a considerable way. It was necessary to organise meetings within additional thematic sections to meet the participants' expectations.
- This interest resulted both from the subjects of the Congress and the good reputation, which the previous congresses enjoyed, says Beata Zawadowicz, MD, the Congress Organisational Committee, vice-president of the Medical Society in Czestochowa. The present times are noting the highest death rate caused by the plagues of our times: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, accidents. The venue of the Congress is also very important to many participants. A visit to Czestochowa gives the possibility to see Jasna Gora, which is as important to many foreign doctors as the scientific programme or the occasion to visit their homeland.
The idea to organise international meetings of the Medical Polonia originated in the early 1990s in the Medical Association of Czestochowa, which is a branch of the Polish Medical Association. The First World Congress of Medical Polonia was held here in 1991 and doctors in Poland and Polish doctors working abroad enthusiastically welcomed it.
For many of them it was the first occasion to visit their homeland, which they had to leave, often for political reasons. One must also admit that the first historical congress was an injection of modern specialistic knowledge, occasion to make contacts, which resulted in shipping the most modern medical equipment into many medical centres and Polish physicians' internships. The achievements of the next congresses, which were held in Warsaw, Krakow and Katowice, were equally remarkable.
- Currently, the contacts are easier than 15 years ago but we want to continue this wonderful tradition of exchange of thoughts and experiences, the integration of medical environments not only from the West but also from the East, says Beata Zawadowicz. - One of the objectives of the Congress is to present the latest achievements of world medicine. The programme includes thematic sessions on cardiological, oncological, traumatical, ophthalmological, informational, stomatological, psychiatric and other problems. For the first time this year the 5th Scientific Conference of the Medical Association of Czestochowa will be held during the Congress, its title being 'Plagues of our times - what is new in diagnostics and therapy?' and there will be direct broadcast of operations from various clinical centres. Among those who have registered is Prof. Tadeusz Malinski, who is working in the U.S.A. now and who was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize. Professor Malinski will give the inaugural lecture entitled 'Implementation of nanomedicine in diseases of the vasculocardiac system and the nervous system'.
The ethical problems connected with progress in medical and biological sciences and wide researches will constitute an important trend in the congress sessions. These problems will be discussed in two sessions and Rev. Prof. Andrzej Szostek will give the leading lecture entitled 'Civilisation of life and love'.
- Preparing the next Congress we wanted a wide presentation of the Polish culture, meetings serving direct contacts and we wanted to meet some extra-medical interests of the participants, says Beata Zawadowicz. The attractions will include a visit and picnic in Koszecin and the performance of the Slask Ensemble as well as the planned performance of 'Budka Suflera', which is organised at the request of the participants. We are also planning Polonia sports games and if there are participants we will propose artistic open-air workshops: painting and photography.
The organisers of the Congress are: Federation of Medical Organisations Abroad, represented by Prof. Jan Borowiec from Uppsala, District Medical Association of Czestochowa, with its president Dr. Zbigniew Brzezina, Central Medical Association of Warsaw, with its president Dr. Konstanty Radziwil, Polish Medical Association with its president Prof. Jerzy Woy-Wojciechowski, Municipality of Czestochowa, represented by President Dr. Tadeusz Wrona. The media patrons include the Catholic Weekly 'Niedziela'.
Detailed information and registration: www.kongrespoloniimedycznej.pl
The address: Biuro Komitetu Organizacyjnego VI Swiatowego Kongresu Polonii Medycznej, Waszyngtona 42, 42-300 Czestochowa, Polska; Tel. +48 34 368 18 88; Fax: +48 34 324 76 19
"Niedziela" 11/2006