Pediatrics news – multidisciplinary approaches in children’s healthcare

Family doctors, pediatricians and pulmonologists from the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine met in Chisinau at the international conference with the generic title "Pediatrics news - multidisciplinary approaches in children’s healthcare", held on November 1, 2024 at Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

The event was inaugurated by rector Emil Ceban, who stated that, currently, the medical system is facing increasingly complex challenges in the field of children's health, and pediatricians have an essential role in the lives of young patients and their families, offering them support in the most difficult moments. "This event provides a platform for dialogue between specialists to exchange knowledge and best practices, discuss current trends and identify innovative solutions for children's health problems, create strong partnerships and develop customized strategies adapted to the specific needs of the country. Every area of ​​pediatric practice is of crucial importance in ensuring quality care for children – from the diagnosis and treatment of conditions to the management of complex cases in a personalized way", emphasized the rector.

The organizer of the event, prof. Svetlana Sciuca, head of the Pneumology Clinic within the Department of Pediatrics, mentioned that such meetings should help professionals who provide medical assistance to children at different age stages to share their own knowledge and experience, to discuss current topics, to benefit from the suggestions, solutions and recommendations offered by international speakers. "The family doctor is the most important actor in the medical activity in our country, the specialist that the patient contacts first of all, and I admire all of you who have chosen this specialty, but who, at the same time, also have a very difficult mission. You are the most knowledgeable and experienced  experts, that's why we, pediatricians, always turn to you. To make the child's health a priority",  the professor specified.

"The university offers us optimal conditions for educational, refresher training activities, and continuous medical education, which contributes to increasing the professionalism of pediatric specialists, as required in a contemporary society",  prof. Sciuca stated.

Eva Gudumac, head of the Life Sciences Section of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, director of Natalia Gheorghiu National Center for Pediatric Surgery, greeted the audience and mentioned the difficulties that pediatricians go through, the lack of medical staff in rural areas, as well as the criticism directed against doctors. "I hope these meetings bring you new knowledge and directions for development. In the medical system, as in a family, problems or certain dissensions still arise, but we must be united and overcome them", the academician pointed out.

Prof. Larisa Kovtun from the Medical University of Odesa, Ukraine, thanked the organizers for this opportunity to achieve an exchange of experience between specialists from various fields in favor of child health.

The event was also attended by representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Anatol Terzi, project manager, and Elena Unver, coordinator, who, within the Health Platform supported by the European Union, carry out educational activities for pediatricians, family doctors and other specialists with the aim of improving pediatric healthcare.

The topics addressed in this scientific forum were as follows: perinatal aspects of neonatal pathology, abdominal pain syndrome in children – differential diagnosis and medical conduct in pediatric healthcare, respiratory infections in children – a priority in child morbidity, contemporary inhalation therapies in pediatric pulmonology, the child with the COVID-19 infection – evolutionary complications, pediatric approaches in the work of the family doctor, genetic aspects in the health of the mother and the child, contemporary views in the medical conduct of the patient with atopic dermatitis, the multidisciplinary medical assistance of the child in cystic fibrosis, primary immunodeficiencies in children – principles of diagnosis and treatment and other aspects of child health.

The scientific conference was organized by the Pneumology Clinic within the Department of Pediatrics of Nicolae Testemitanu University with the support of the European Union, within the "Confidence Promotion Measures" program implemented by UNDP Moldova.