Report from Vice President for Southern Europe
Dr. Concetta Laurentaci – MWIA Regional Vice President for Southern Europe
On 21 April the Regional Congress of MWIA Southern Europe was held in Catania in a hybrid form during the National Congress of Italian Medical Women. The title “Post pandemic era: what direction for health policies?” underlined the great changes that have taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the initial greeting by Concetta Laurentaci, the meeting continued with the prestigious greetings of the President of MWIA – Dr. Eleanor Nwandinobi (Nigeria), who had words of sincere appreciation for the work done in the Southern Europe area, by the Secretary-General of MWIA – Dr. Mariam Jashi (Georgia) and by the National President of Italian Medical Women – Dr. Antonella Vezzani, who emphasized both the importance of international relations to improve the quality of health policies and the reduction of inequalities. The proceedings began with an Opening Session by Dr. Concetta Laurentaci (Italy) on critical care and rehabilitation issues during the pandemic. She emphasized the change in the therapeutic relationship through the new digital supports. Dr Antonella Vezzani then introduced the other prestigious speakers: Dr Bettina Pfleiderer (Germany) who presented a new European Project entitled “VIPROM: Improving knowledge of medical staff on domestic violence by developing a European and national training curriculum”; Dr. Elizabeth Lichtenstein (Sweeden – VP of NE), who presented Sweden´s updates during and after the crisis; Dr. Edith Schratzberger-Vécsei (Austria – VP of CE), who focused her report on a Central European perspective on the pandemic; Dr. Magdalena Simonis (Australia), who emphasized in her report the aims of the MWIA survey of COVID-19 experiences of women doctors as healthcare providers and recommendations for health policies; Dr. Silvana Capasso (Italy – NC of AIDM), who reported an interesting update on adolescent health post-pandemic.
The Regional Congress of Southern Europe ended with great satisfaction of all participants.
fig 1. Delegation of Italian Medical Women at MWIA Regional Congress in Catania