Havana, Cuba: 10 October 2019
10 October 2019
Havana, Cuba
The World Allergy Organization (WAO) in conjunction with the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) held an all-day World Allergy Training School (WATS) in Havana, Cuba on October 10th at which there were over 50 primary care and specialty physicians participating.
The WAO faculty included Dr. Sami Bahna, Dr. John Oppenheimer, Dr. James Sublett, and Dr. Dana Wallace, all from the United States. The faculty also participated in the opening ceremony and presented lectures at the VI Central Iberoamericano and X National allergy Congress of the Cuban Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunological Society held October 8-11, 2019 at the Palacio de Convenciones. The local organizing committee was led by Dra. Mirta Alvarez Castelo, Cuban Allergy President and by Dr. Jose Rodriguez Canosa, Scientific Committee chair. The congress was opened by Dr. Francisco Alberto Durán García, National Director of Epidemiology of the Cuban Health Ministry.
The WATS program included a combination of lectures and workshops covering asthma, allergic rhinitis, anaphylaxis, allergen immunotherapy, drug allergies, food allergies, and skin allergies. Conference luncheons, a faculty dinner, and an organizing committee sponsored Cuban ballet evening provided an opportunity for one-on-one interaction between allergy professionals. The WAO and ACAAI faculty left Cuba feeling very rewarded with the enthusiasm and appreciation demonstrated by the WATS participants and enriched by the newly formed professional friendships.
WATS Faculty and organizers with the Training School's participants
Dr. John Oppenheimer lecturing to the audience
Dr. James Sublett presents to the WATS Delegates
Dr. Sami Bahna presenting a hand's on workshop
Dr. Dana Wallace presenting a a skin prick test