Report on the Fifth African League Against Rheumatism Congress in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The Fifth Congress of the African League Against Rheumatism (AFLAR) was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 18th to 22nd February 2007. Shortly after their arrival in Nairobi, delegates required little reminder of their presence in Africa. Many of the magnificent tall imposing giraffes from the Nairobi National Park were on hand to welcome delegates as they made their way from the airport to the city. The conference venue, the Hotel Intercontinental, is situated directly opposite the headquarters of the Kenyan government, the Parliament Buildings complex. The warmth and friendliness of the Kenyan people and the hospitality and efficiency of the organizing committee set the scene for a memorable congress. The organizing committee for the conference, led by Dr J. Amolo Alouch, provided a forum for scientific deliberations by delegates from all over the world and succeeded in placing the care of patients with musculoskeletal disorders on the agenda of the Health Ministry and the Government of Kenya. The distinguished local dignitaries who participated in the various congress events included the Vice President of Kenya, Honorable A. Moody Awori, and the Director of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr James W. Nyikal, and the Head of International Relations for Kenya, Dr Ahmed Ogwell. Their presence and contributions provided testimony to the gratitude and support from the Kenyan government for the staging of this event in Nairobi. They acknowledged the importance of addressing the needs of patients with rheumatic disorders while focusing on the life threatening challenges posed by communicable diseases such as HIV infection, tuberculosis and malaria. The Fifth AFLAR Congress was a historic event as there were participants from 15 countries in Africa, many of whom have only a few or no rheumatologists. The countries represented were Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia and Mauritius. The conference proceedings included presentations by delegates from all parts of Africa and nearly 20 international delegates from North America, South America, Europe and Asia. International dignitaries and contributors included Professor Abraham Kutzbach, President of International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), Professor Tore Kvien, President of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and Professor Ho-Youn Kim, President-Elect of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR). Professor Anthony Woolf delivered a keynote address on “The Global Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions and the Need for Public Health Strategies” during the opening ceremony for the congress. He reported that the burden of musculoskeletal conditions has been recognized by the United Nations and World Bank by the endorsement of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010. He provided statistics on the burden of the various forms of arthritis, low back pain, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal trauma. He noted that many of these conditions can be prevented or effectively treated and evidencebased strategies for their control have been developed. Clin Rheumatol (2007) 26:1033–1035 DOI 10.1007/s10067-007-0620-3