Int’l conference on diarrhoeal disease kicks off
The 15th Asian Conference on Diarrhoeal Disease and Nutrition (ASCODD) kicked off yesterday at a city hotel, hosted by icddr, b.
The three-day international conference will include a series of scientific sessions, where around 450 public health experts from 18 countries will speak on the latest developments in tackling public health challenges.
The theme of the conference is “Typhoid, cholera, other enteric diseases and their relationship to nutritional disorders: Persisting challenges for low- and middle-income countries in an era of humanitarian crisis”.
Speaking as chief guest, health Minister Zahid Maleque, said, “This conference will help achieve global goals to address major public health challenges.”
In his speech, Dr Firdausi Qadri, Senior Scientist, icddr,b and President, ASCODD said, “We hope the participants will use this opportunity to engage themselves in the network.”
“We look forward to a conference filled with impactful discussions and insights, and occasional controversies, and debates,” she added.
Professor John D Clemens, Executive Director, icddr,b spoke of the history and contribution of icddr,b since its establishment in 1960.
“As we celebrate and reflect on 60 years of the icddr,b, we also look forward to address existing and emerging challenges to vulnerable populations and fulfill our vision of a world in which more people survive and enjoy healthy lives,” Prof Clemens said.
The conference will host discussions on the global disease burden; antibiotic resistance; best practices for diagnostics and surveillance; the role of water, sanitation and hygiene practices; strategies for prevention and control; and progress on vaccines in development.
The conference will also hold four symposia on subjects of global public health interest.
The Government of Bangladesh, World Health Organisation, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and some other local and international sponsors have financed the conference.