GPs in healthy talks at medical forum

SCORES of general practitioners (GPs) turned up at the Sanofi Congress at the Trinidad Hilton, Port of Spain over the weekend to discuss the impact of diseases on the country’s public health system.

A number of specialists from Central America were invited by Sanofi, a French multinational bio-pharmaceutical company focused on human health, to analyze channels of prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as address diarrhea and the importance of probiotics as a fundamental tool for restoring the balance of intestinal flora altered by gastrointestinal disorders.

Dr Arturo Rebollon, medical manager at Sanofi said Trinidad was chosen as a strategic location for the congress and because of the data coming out of the Caribbean.

He said: “Our studies show that the top causes of death in this region is cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases, along with respiratory diseases.

As a responsible scientific organisation we create an event that focus on the prevention of these diseases.”

He added that Sanofi always work along with the local authorities in health and with the local scientific associations.

Dr Arturo Abdelnour, Costa Rican specialist in paediatrics and clinical immunology, summed up his discourse about primary care and heath prevention in the population stating acute diarrhea remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and that the mainstays of treatment for it are rehydration, zinc administration and early feedback.

He said too that some probotics are effective in reducing the duration and severity of acute diarrhea.

Dr Gerald Moncayo, medical science liaison, Sanofi - Pasteur stated: “It’s not only prevention but we are also targeting different diseases, with some focus on cardio, heart problems and diabetes.

“You get less risk of a heart attack with vaccination against influenza.”

Dr Ana Belen Arauz from Panama had earlier stated that influenza was a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, adding that prevention is key.

“Vaccination is a main public health strategy to decrease the mortality for cardiovascular diseases.

And there is a lot of evidence that shows that vaccinations are very safe and we have seen a decrease in those problems,” said Arauz.

Panamanian Ana Espinosa tried breaking the stigma of insulin but stated that there are some people who should avoid taking it like those with chronic conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, depressed people, people with HIV, children under five years and adults over 65, pregnant women and health care workers.