Publication date: July 29, 2009
The Caribbean Cardiac Society’s (CCS) 24th Annual Caribbean Cardiology Conference was officially opened in Barbados on July 28. The Conference will run until July 31 under the theme “Meeting the Emerging Challenges to Cardiovascular Care in the Caribbean”. The Conference has some 200 participants from all across the Caribbean representing the region’s Dutch, English, French and Spanish speaking Cardiac specialists.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Raymond Massay of Barbados, Conference Chairman, noted the tremendous growth of the CCS since the last time Barbados hosted this important meeting in 2001. Dr. Massay described the CCS as “many fold in cultures and languages, singular in the purpose of the study and application of Cardiology to enhance the lives of communities we inhabit.”
Dr. Martin Didier, President of the Society, in welcoming participants highlighted the strong international linkages the CCS holds with organizations such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the Consortium for Southeastern Hypertension Control (COSEHC). “We also established new linkages with the European Society of Cardiology by becoming an affiliate” Dr. Didier said, adding “the CCS has facilitated the establishment of COSEHC Centres of Excellence in the Caribbean; the first in the Bahamas at the Bahamas Heart Centre, and the second in St. Lucia at the Tapion Hospital.”
During the Opening Ceremony, the participants received greetings from The Minster of Tourism, the Hon. Richard Sealy, President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners, Dr. Carlos Chase and President of the ESC, Prof. Roberto Ferrari.
The Conference was officially declared open by Barbados’ Minister of Health, the Hon. Donville Iniss who in his keynote address expressed his Ministry’s commitment to working with organizations such as the CCS to battle the growing epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases.
The Conference Scientific Programme will include the Annual Cardiology Lecture delivered by Prof. Roberto Ferrari, President of the European Society of Cardiology and the Annual Surgical Lecture delivered by Prof. Marshall Jacobs of the Cleveland Clinic. The Society will also host its Annual Awards Banquet during the Conference where it will honour Dr. Richard Ishmael of Barbados and Dr. Ronald Henry of Trinidad and Tobago for their contributions to the development of Cardiology in the region.
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