Exchange of good practices and innovations during the 8th Congress of Urology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation and the Balkan Medical Week organized in Chisinau

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy from the Republic of Moldova hosted two large-scale scientific events between 7-9 June 2023: the 8th Urology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation Congress from the Republic of Moldova with international participation New Horizons in Urology and the Balkan Medical Week, 37th edition, with the generic title Perspectives of Balkan medicine in the post-COVID-19 era. The events were organized by the Society of Urologists from the Republic of Moldova and the Balkan Medical Union in partnership with Nicolae Testemitanu University and both took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova. 

The scientific events were inaugurated on June 8 by the president of the Congress - the Rector of Nicolae Testemitanu University, Professor Emil Ceban - who welcomed the officials, foreign guests, and local participants, emphasizing the importance of the Balkan medical community reunion for the country’s health system, as well as for science and medical education in the Republic of Moldova. "We hope, by tackling the most topical and pressing issues in the field of health and by sharing expertise among different specialized schools, to contribute to the establishment and development of new friendship relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in the future and to provide opportunities for scientific research in the medical and pharmaceutical areas. Moreover, this will encourage the continuing education of highly qualified medical personnel and will enhance the quality of specialized healthcare provided to the population, bringing closer the day when Moldova will become a member of the European Union,” the Rector mentioned. 

In her speech, Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco expressed her confidence that the specialists attending these forums would achieve an exchange of experience at the knowledge and research level as well as in medical practice. The health official highlighted the imperative need for exchange of innovations and their implementation in the medical act, reiterating that a major objective of the institution led by her was to equip all hospitals, especially district ones, to modernize their infrastructure, to adjust clinical protocols, to develop joint projects with the World Health Organization and the human resources component in healthcare, in all these reforms relying on the support of the medical community. "Scientific progress must not lag behind the development of the Republic of Moldova. Our country has an ambitious agenda, starting with its political part aimed at European integration. In the health area we should also rise to the level of relevant standards followed by our colleagues from European states.

The first Vice-Chair of the Public Health Subcommittee of the European Parliament, Dr. Tudor Ciuhodaru, declared himself honored by the fact that today Chisinau was the capital of the Balkan Medical Union and that he personally supported the development of health projects both as a representative of the Health Committee of the Romanian Parliament and the European one. "I believe in a European health union. I hope that the projects that I initiated as a member of the Health Committee of the Romanian Parliament, this cross-border node, the joint development of long-term relations in health, will continue. I want to assure all my colleagues from the Balkan Medical Union that everything that is good for health will also be supported at the European level", stressed the European deputy.

The event was also honored by the presence of H.E. Mr. Paul Graham, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Republic of Moldova, who spoke about the long-standing Moldovan-French collaboration, including in the field of health, and about joint projects in pediatrics, pediatric surgery and neonatology, as well as in aspects related to support, expertise and training in the field of organ transplantation. "In the context of the economic and energy crisis, which the Republic of Moldova is going through since the beginning of the war in the neighboring country, France donated a batch of 29 high-power generators for the country’s hospitals. France also supports the Republic of Moldova in the field of public health and healthcare management. The Moldovan-French cooperation is a long-lasting one, as the Francophone University Agency was established at Nicolae Testemitanu University in 1998, and since then has been mediating collaborative relations with institutions and hospitals from France", the French diplomat noted. 

For her part, Dr. Camelia Diaconu, International Secretary General of the Balkan Medical Union, President of the Romanian Section of the Balkan Medical Union, highlighted the role and major support of France during the organization's 90 years of activity. The expert noted the exceptional organization of this scientific event and stated: "I hope that the works of this forum will contribute to the development of scientific collaboration between countries in the humanistic and humanitarian spirit of the Balkan Medical Union." 

The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Hendrik Van Poppel, President of the Political Bureau of the European Association of Urology in Leuven, Belgium, who spoke about the collaboration between urology specialists from both countries, through the societies they represent. "It is an honor for me to be part of this great event. Like you, I am a simple urologist who dedicates his life to the good of the patient and has been active for more than 16 years within the European Association of Urology. During this period, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Professor Adrian Tănase, Honorary President of the Society of Urologists from the Republic of Moldova, with Vitalie Ghicavîi, Associate Professor, who studied with us in Belgium, and currently with Prof. Emil Ceban - the President of the Society of Urologists from the Republic of Moldova and the key person in the organization of this wonderful event", specified Professor Poppel. 

In this context, more than 300 medical specialists gathered to discuss the current events in urology, nephrology, dialysis and kidney transplantation, pediatric surgery, innovations in modern clinical research, the role of interdisciplinary connections between different branches of medicine and other topics related to diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the renal-urinary system. The program of activities included a series of reports from the State-of-the-Art Lectures series, two moderated poster sessions titled “Recent Developments in Andrology. Urogenital infection. Varia" and "Urolithiasis, Endourology and Oncology News", as well as a series of video presentations.

The 8th Congress of Urology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation takes place once every four years and represents the most important scientific-practical forum for specialists in this field. The second event - the Balkan Medical Week - brought together over 100 renowned specialists from 27 countries and about 2000 participants from the Republic of Moldova, who addressed topical issues in the fields of: fundamental medicine, family medicine, cardiology, surgery, pediatric surgery, anesthesiology and reanimatology, medical emergencies, gastroenterology, hepatology, infectious diseases, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and neonatology, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, neurology, neurosurgery, rheumatology, hematology and transfusion, dermatovenerology, medical rehabilitation and physical medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and preventive medicine. The proceedings were held in 19 sections, which included several scientific sessions in the form of plenary reports, communications, symposia, moderated poster sessions and workshops.

The Balkan Medical Week was organized with the support of the Balkan Medical Union, which has a history of over 90 years, and represents one of the well-known medical confederations in South-Eastern Europe. In 1993, the Department of the Balkan Medical Union was established in the Republic of Moldova. Until now it has been led by Academician Gheorghe Ghidirim, and from today onwards – by Professor Emil Ceban. This year, the Republic of Moldova hosted this event for the 4th time. 

The organizers of the scientific forums have achieved their goals of promoting medical education and research, informing specialists about the current scientific progress at the national and global level in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, and exchanging experience on new methods of diagnosis and treatment, with the purpose of implementing innovations and identifying new solutions to increase the quality of healthcare provided to the population of the region.

Exhibitions of scientific and didactic publications, patents and innovations, medical technology and pharmaceutical products were organized in the framework of scientific events at the University Sociocultural Complex.

At the same time, during these events, the culture of our country was also promoted, an exhibition of authentic national costumes was opened, which impressed the foreign guests, as well as the local public. In this context, we express our thanks for the organization and support to Sezatoarea Basarabiei community, represented by Mrs. Vera Sali, and the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History of Moldova. 

We also send our thanks to the folk craftsman Ivan Prividiuc, ceramic artist, who accepted the invitation to exhibit his original handicrafts at these medical and pharmaceutical scientific events.

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