A record number of abstracts related to civil society’s contributions to public health have been submitted for this year’s 45th Union World Conference on Lung Health, which will focus on the theme “Community-driven solutions for the next generation”. The study topics ranged from the role of TB and HIV patient organisations to community outreach and partnerships.
“We are delighted with the response regarding civil society,” says Rajita Bhavaraju, Chair of The Union’s Coordinating Committee on Scientific Activities. “The goal of this conference is to reflect the achievements and challenges of the diverse stakeholders working on behalf of lung health – with particular emphasis on the need for community participation in effective health systems.”
Overall The Union received 1,900 abstract submissions for the conference to be held in Barcelona, Spain on 28 October to 1 November 2014. This number tops last year’s record of 1,380 submissions. More than two-thirds of the submissions focus on tuberculosis and related topics, such as HIV and child TB, but there was a large increase in the number of both civil society and tobacco control abstracts submitted this year.
“The Union World Conference is the most important tuberculosis conference – and the largest to focus on lung health issues in low- and middle-income countries,” says José Luis Castro, Executive Director of The Union. “The record response reflects the increasing awareness of TB as a global public health issue, as well as deep concern about the pandemic of disease caused by tobacco use and the rise of non-communicable diseases, including chronic respiratory disease.”
The countries that submitted the most abstracts are India, United States of America, Brazil, Russian Federation, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Taiwan.
This year also saw an increased in the number of submitters taking advantage of The Union’s Abstract Mentor Programme, which provides assistance to researchers new to the process or from limited-resource settings.
“The Abstract Mentor Programme is just one of the ways The Union is helping to build research capacity in low- and middle-income countries,” says Bhavaraju, who notes that presenters at the conference come from some 65 countries each year.
Those submitting abstracts will be informed by e-mail about whether their abstract has been accepted in late June.
Registration for 45th Union World Conference on Lung Health will open on 2 June 2014. Complete details about the conference, which will be held on 28 October to 1 November 2014, are available at www.worldlunghealth.org.