Dear E-AHPBA members,
It has been a busy quarter since the last newsletter was circulated. There have been many meetings throughout the region, developments within each E-AHPBA committee and exciting discussions for future growth taking place.
Firstly, I am delighted to announce the launch of the new look member newsletter, which is in line with the new look E-AHPBA website, www.eahpba.org. I would like to invite you all to take some time to review the newsletter look and feel as well as the content and would welcome any feedback you may have including items of news that you feel should be included, please send all comments to Carol Nicol at carol@eahpba.org. I would like to thank the Communications Committee for steering this next stage in the development of the association communication tools. The next stage will be the development of the educational tools available to members, watch this space for further announcements.
I am delighted to advise that the first E-AHPBA Gold Seal Post-Graduate Course was successfully delivered at the end of May in Innsbruck, Austria. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Professor Stefan Stättner and Mr Kito Fusai for all their hard work and dedication in producing a varied and detailed programme covering the topic of Liver Malignancies. The feedback received has been extremely positive and it has been a great way to launch the E-AHPBA led Gold seal programme. We look forward to the E-AHPBA Introductory Course to HPB Robotic Surgery in Ghent, November 2018 and the E-AHPBA Post Graduate Course focusing on Pancreas, hosted by myself in Athens, January 2019. For more information on both courses please visit https://eahpba.org/education-and-training/e-ahpba-platinum-and-gold-seal-activities/ or contact Carol Nicol at carol@eahpba.org.
I have been privileged to be party to some interesting visits over the past months, representing E-AHPBA both regionally and internationally. I was honoured to represent the E-AHPBA at the Izmir meeting to discuss the development of a Caucasian Chapter, thank you to all involved and we look forward to hearing how it progresses towards the end of this year. I was also invited to form part of the delegation that attended the Argentinian HPB Association meeting in April 2018, for more information on this meeting please read the article written by Professor Ajith Siriwardena featured within this issue. Chapter developments both within the E-AHPBA region and the International forum are proving fruitful and look promising to help forge the way to continuing strengthening of the association both regionally and internationally.
The next major date in the HPB calendar is the 13th IHPBA World Congress which will take place in Geneva from the 4th to the 7th September 2018. For more information please visit the website, www.ihpba2018.com. Professor Oscar Imventarza has kindly provided an update on the congress progress which you can read further on within the newsletter. We invite you all to attend and encourage you to register before the next registration deadline, 11th July 2018, to ensure you receive the member discount available.
I wish you all a good summer and look forward to welcoming you all to Geneva early September.
Best wishes,
Christos Dervenis
E-AHPBA President
