ACTIVITIES of UNIPSTR and

TURKISH NATIONAL PEDIATRICS

SOCIETY in 2017 and PLANNED

ACTIVITIES for 2018

A. Activities in the year 2017

1. 61th Turkish National Pediatrics Society Congress was held in

Antalya on November 15- 19, 2017

Annual Congresses of Turkish National Pediatrics Society (TNPS) have been continuously

improving its quality by international relationships and by excellent scientific programs

covering essential topics in child health and diseases, up-to-date problems and their solutions,

expert panels and state of art lectures. The last congress (61st Congress) was successfully held

with the participation of 2008 members in Antalya on November 15- 19, 2017. The 2nd

Kosovo-Turkey Pediatrics Congress and The 16th National Pediatric Nursing Congress were

held in conjunction with the 61st TNPS Congress.

There were six pre-congress courses on different pediatric subspecialities including “Update

on Neonatal Care” "Essentials of Mechanic Ventilation in Neonate “, "Emergency Medicine

and Intensive Care", “Rational Use of Laboratory Test in the Diagnosis and Treatment of

Pediatric Infectious Diseases”, "Guide for Monitoring Child Development -Practitioner

Training Course" which were well organized and actively participated by many

pediatricians.

Turkish National Pediatrics Congress Opening Ceremony was held with the participation of

Prof. Dr. Recep Akdağ who is pediatrician and Vice Prime Minister and Former Minister of

Health. Opening Talks of the Secretary General of Turkish National Pediatrics Society-Prof.

Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu, President of IPAF and President Elect of IPA-Dr. Errol Alden, Vice

Prime Minister-Prof. Dr. Recep Akdağ emphasized the importance of the physical and mental

health of refugee children, which requires a collaborative effort. At the ceremony, Social

Awareness Project named "Everything Starts with Love" conducted by Turkish National

Pediatric Association Coordinator Mr. Kerem Hasanoğlu, was introduced to the participants.

It consisted of messages from Turkish celebrities like singers, sportsmen, writers. The aim

was make people understand refugee children and their needs and invite them to empathise

with refugee children in their hard situation.

Honorary Membership Awards were presented to IPA Executive Director, Dr. William

Keenan; President of the Azerbaijan Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Nesip Guliyev, and

President of the Kosovo Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Ramush Bejigi.

During the congress, National Disease Burden in Pediatrics in Turkey, Microbiota and

Hormones, Healthy Child Monitoring, Vaccination Practice, Infant and Child Nutrition, The

Problems Encountered in the Growth and Development of Children and Their Solutions,

Diagnosis and Rational Treatment of Common Infections in Childhood, The Problems in

Neonatal Period, Common Rheumatic Diseases and Cardiological Problems in Childhood,

Diabetes in Childhood, Connective Tissue Disorders, Update on Screening, Diagnosis and

Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders, Addictions

in Children and Adolescents, The Role of the Pediatrician in the Prevention of Child Abuse

and Neglect, Child with Impaired Immune System, Allergic Problems Frequently Seen by the

Pediatrician, Childhood Asthma, Voiding Dysfunction, Celiac Disease in Childhood, Rational

Use of Vitamins and Minerals in Children, Orthopedic Disorders in Children, Eye Problems

in Infants and Children, Oral and Dental Health in Children, Iron Deficiency Anemia,

Malnutrition in Childhood and Childhood Obesity were discussed in detail.

Four oral and one poster presentations were awarded by scientific committee. On the last day

of the Congress, a written multiple choice exam consisting topics discussed in the congress

was performed which is a tradition since 2011 and the winner was also awarded.

The 16th National Pediatric Nursing Congress for pediatric nurses who are the most important

stakeholders of the team in health care was held during 61st Turkish National Pediatric

Congress.

The whole congress with national and international participants was completed with a great

success.

2. The Second Kosovo-Turkey Pediatrics Meeting was held on

November 16th, 2017.

The 2nd Kosovo-Turkey Pediatrics Meeting was held in conjunction with 61st Turkish

National Pediatrics Congress. Eighty physicians from Kosovo were participated to the

meeting. Adult with Congenital Heart Disease – Kosovo Opinion”, “The Use of Medications

by Adolescents and Young Adults”, “Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders”, “Functional

Gastrointestinal Disorders in Infancy”, “Inflammatory Bowel Diseases”, “Management of

Anaphylaxis”, “Surgical Treatment of Congenital Anomalies of UrinaryTract”, “Hypotonia in

the Newborn” were some of the presented topics during the meeting. The meeting with

mutual exchange of information took place successfully.

3. “Refugee Mental Health Workshop: Children and Adolescent

Perspective: Turkish National Pediatrics Society in Collaboration with

IPA” was held in Antalya on November 15th, 2017.

Turkish National Pediatrics Society engages support programs related to Health of Syrian

refugee children living in Turkey since 2011, from the beginning of war. Syrian asylum

seekers continue their lives in or out of camps, established and managed by Disaster and

Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) in Turkey. Turkish National Pediatrics Society

has been organizing regional training meetings to provide solutions to children's physical and

mental health problems. Our Society not only supports doctors caring these people, but also

the children and mothers living in the camps. Turkish National Pediatrics Society was

conducted an Increased of Awareness Campain named "Everything Starts With Love" for

Syrian Refugee Children to tackle their problems. Project aims to make people understand

these children and their problems and to give them a humanitarian insight about this

sociological issue.

A workshop titled "Refugee Mental Health Workshop: Children and Adolescent Perspectives"

was held by Turkish National Pediatrics Society as a pre-congress meeting during 61th

Turkish National Pediatric Congress on November 15th, 2017. The current problems of the

refugee children and especially how they are affected by the negative conditions they have

experienced, the possible solutions were evaluated in this international collaborative meeting.

President-Elect of IPA/President of IPAF Prof. Dr. Errol Alden, Executive Director of IPA,

William Keenan, Marianne O’Grady (Save Children) from United States of America; Helena

Fonseca, President of International Association for Adolescent Health from Portugal, Ramush

Bejigi, President of the Kosovo Pediatrics Association, Nesip Guliyev, President of

Azerbaijan Pediatrics Association and pediatricians and nurses from Jordan, Iraq, Kosovo and

Turkey attended to this workshop. Along with international participants, 250 people from

different groups including Ministry of Health officials, experienced faculty members on this

issue from the medical faculties in Turkey, physicians, nurses and other health workers

working at Hatay, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep and Van where refugees are mostly settled attended to

this workshop.

In the workshop, “The Current Situation of Refugee Children, The Role of IPA in Victimized

Children, Refugee Children in Turkey and TNPS’s Activities, Adolescent Refugees in Turkey

and TNPS’s Activities, Mental Health in Refugee Children: Risk, Recovery, Prevention and

Fighting, Refugee Mental Health in Early Childhood, School Children and Adolescents” were

discussed extensively. As a result of the workshop, the proposed solutions for the physical

and mental health of immigrant children were considered to be effective at national and

international platforms.

4. Regional Educational Meetings

Turkish National Pediatrics Society organizes regional meetings in various provinces of

Turkey with the aim of providing scientific contributions to pediatricians. These meetings are

often held for pediatricians working in cities located at the South border of Turkey including

Gaziantep, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Van and Adana where asylum seekers from Syria

frequently live in. Problems and solutions for children under difficult conditions are shared

with the doctors working in the area and scientific support is provided to them according to

their needs. Topics include “Nutritional Calendar, Points to be Taken in the Diagnosis and

Treatment of Malnutrition, Vaccination, Healthy Child Follow-up, Infection Diseases, Child

with Convulsions”. The number of participants in each meeting was around 120-150. 500

pediatricians in total were trained in four regional meetings (7 April 2017-Gaziantep, 25 May

2017-Van, 24 November 2017-Gaziantep, 1 December 2017-Trabzon).

5. 6th Kosovo-Turkey Pediatric Meeting held in Priştina/Kosovo on

May 4-6th, 2017 Members of TNPS were invited to this meeting to give talks in hot topics in pediatrics

including ‘Anemia in childhood’, ‘Common problems in adolescent’, ‘How can we approach

to the eating disorders patients as a pediatrician?’, ‘Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in

newborn and hypothermia treatment’, ‘Nutrition of preterm infant’, Intestinal microbiota in

infants and its impact on health’, ‘Bronchial asthma in childhood’.

6. Turkish National Pediatrics Society members attended

38.UMEMPS Congress Members of Turkish National Pediatrics Society were invited to 38th UMEMPS Congress as

invited speakers which was held on November 3-5th, 2017, in Marakkesh / Morocco.

‘Management of hypertension: based on recent guidelines’, ‘Antibiotic prophylaxis for

urinary tract infections in children’, ‘Impact of environmental factors (toxins) on brain

development/behavior’, ‘The impact of mode of delivery on child health’ were the topics that

were given. Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu Secretary General of UMEMPS made the closing

speech titled 'Past and Future’’.

7. Turkish National Pediatrics Society was represented at the ‘13th

International Workshop on Neonatology’ Members of Turkish National Pediatrics Society attended to ‘13th International Workshop on

Neonatology’ meeting as invited speakers which was held in Cagliari-Italy on October 25-

28th, 2017. ‘Biomarkers in Neonatal Sepsis’and ‘Acute Kidney Injury in Newborns’ were the

topics presented. Dr. Canan Aygun from Turkey as a representative of TSPN who was also

awarded with the best presentation in the meeting.

8. Turkish National Pediatrics Society was represented at the

'Newborn Maternal Health Workshop'

At 'Newborn Maternal Health Workshop' that was organized by the International Pediatric

Association (IPA) in Bishkek / Kyrgyzstan on 20-21st July 2017, IPA President Zulfiqar

Bhutta and Secretary General of TNPS, Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu, have been awarded by

Honorary Professorship by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan -Mother and

Child Health Center.

9. The scientific meeting for the 90th Anniversary Jubilee of the

"Azerbaijan Ministry of Health-Children's Institute" was held in Baku on

October 6th, 2017 Secretary General of TSPN, President of Turkey Azerbaijan Friendship Cooperation

Solidarity Foundation, Secretary General of UNPSTR Professor Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu

participated in the scientific meeting for the 90th Anniversary Jubilee of the Azerbaijani

Ministry of Health Children's Institute which was held on October 6th, 2017 in Baku.

B. Activities Planned and Performed in 2018

1. Diyarbakır Regional Meeting Turkish National Pediatrics Society organized a regional meeting on February 9th, 2018,

where 235 physicians participated in Diyarbakır, where the Syrian Asylum seeker children

were concentrated. The meeting with interactive sessions was very successful.

2. Visit to Container City of Syrian Refugees in Nizip, Gaziantep

The Syrian Civil War, which has been ongoing since March 2011, has forced nearly 11 million

people from their homes. More than 3,5 million of the Syrians who fled have come to Turkey.

There are 250.000 refugees in 26 Temporary Protection Centers in 10 provinces (Şanlıurfa,

Gaziantep, Kilis, Kahramanmaraş, Mardin, Hatay, Adana, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Malatya) at

the border of Syria. 1.6 out of 3.5 million asylum seekers in Turkey are children.

The president-elect of IPA and the president of IPAF-Prof. Dr. Errol Alden, IPA Executive

Director-Dr. William Keenan, IPA Rapporteur-Elizabeth Alden, IPA-External Relations

Director Mr. Kerem Hasanoglu visited a school where refugee children attended in İstanbul

on February 20th, 2018.

Dr. Errol Alden, Dr. William Keenan, Mrs. Elizabeth Alden and Mr. Kerem Hasanoğlu,

Secretary General of TNPS-Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu, and the President of TNPS-Prof. Dr.

Aysun Bideci met the Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, Prof. Dr. Recep Akdağ,

and President of AFAD, Mehmet Güllüoğlu, on the February 21st, 2018. Mr. Mehmet

Güllüoğlu gave information to the delegation about Turkey's implementations related to

refugees.

The delegation visited to a temporary protection center in Nizip, Gaziantep where the refugees

lived in, on the February 22nd, 2018. Gaziantep AFAD Director Sinan Atakan welcomed the

delegationa and gave a briefing on the activities of AFAD in Gaziantep and the services they

provided to asylum seekers. The delegation visited the kindergarten, elementary school,

handcraft workshops, library, laundry, exhibition areas and social facilities in the temporary

protection center. They were also welcomed by a refugee family in the center.

On the same day, the delegation was accepted by the Mayor of Gaziantep, Mrs. Fatma Şahin

and by the Governor, Mr. Ali Yerlikaya.

Turkish National Pediatrics Society Honorary Awards

21 April 2017 - Turkish National Pediatrics Society Honorary Awards-2017

were presented…

Turkish National Pediatrics Society Honorary Awards were presented to the pioneers of

pediatrics in Turkey in the 60th Anniversary of the foundation of TPNS. Award Ceremony

was held on 21st April, 2017 in Swiss Hotel, Ankara,

TNPS was founded with the aim of improving child health in Turkey and has good

relationships with national (Ministries, universities) and international organisations including

IPA, UNICEF, WHO and ICC. By this context, awards were given in the week of 23 April-

National Independence and Childrens Day.

Awards were presented to;

Prof. Dr. Recep Akdağ, Vice Prime Minister of Turkey ,

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Olcay Neyzi, Istanbul University

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Münevver Bertan, Hacettepe Üniversitesi

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Tomris Türmen, Ankara Üniversitesi ICC Chair

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Şinasi Özsoylu, Hacettepe Üniversitesi

24 May 2018 - Turkish National Pediatrics Society

Honorary Awards-2018 were presented…

The Second TNPS Honorary Awards Ceremony was held in May 24th 2018, in Ankara.

Awards were presented to;

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Kürkçüoğlu, Erzurum Atatürk Üniversitesi

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Sabiha Cura Özgür, Ege University

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Namık Çevik, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Ayhan O. Çavdar, Ankara University

Emeritus Prof. Dr. Ergül Tunçbilek, Hacettepe Üniversitesi

Professor Sedat Sever, Ankara University

Dr. Yalım Üner, Company Director of Child and Mother’s Nutrition

Barış Manço, Singer, Composer of Children’s Songs

TPNS – School Screening – May 30th, 2018

TNPS was organised a school screening program targeted to hearing test

and eye examination at Yahyalar Durali Bezci Elementary School where

Syrian Refugees and Turkish children educated in altogether in May 30th,

2018

3. Most Recent and Upcoming National Meetings in 2018

- Turkish National Pediatrics Society Interactive Training Meeting "A Day of

the Pediatrician", April 26-29th, 2018, Girne / Cyprus

The meeting was held in Cyprus with a great success with more than 500

participants from Turkey and Cyprus. According to positive feedbacks from

participants, it was decided to be held annually.

- Şanlıurfa Regional Training Meeting, June 2018,

- 62nd Turkish National Pediatrics Society Congress, 14-18th November,

2018

- Kayseri Regional Training Meeting, September 2018

4. Upcoming Joint meetings with International Associations in 2018:

- Turkish National Pediatrics Society - Kosovo Pediatrics Society 3rd Joint

Meeting, June 20-24th, 2018, Pristina / Kosovo

- Tatarstan Pediatrics Association Joint Meeting, 19-23rd September 2018,

Kazan / Tatarstan

- Turkish National Pediatrics Society - Italian Pediatric Association -

Romanian Society of Pediatrics Joint Meeting, 6-9th October 2018s, BiH /

Romania

- Turkish National Pediatrics Society - Joint Meeting of the Association of

Pediatrics Society of Kosovo and Montenegro Pediatrics, October 12-15th,

Budva / Montenegro

- Turkish National Pediatrics Society - Iran Pediatrics Association Joint

Meeting, 15 to 16th November, 2018i in Antalya / Turkey

- 39th UMEMPS Congress 5-8 thSeptember, 2018, Amman / Jordan