WGO
For Release May 29, 2011
Milwaukee, USA — May 29, 2011 — Every 29th May, the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) celebrates World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) and initiates a worldwide public health campaign through its 110 national societies and over 50,000 members. Each year focuses upon a particular digestive disorder to increase general public awareness of prevention and therapy. The 2011 theme is Enteric Infections: Prevention and Management; Clean Food, Clean Water, Clean Environment.
The objective of the WDHD 2011 is to focus attention on the prevention and management of diarrheal diseases to improve child survival in developing countries and also to reduce morbidity and mortality in the industrialized world. Special attention will be given to at risk travelers.
“For instance clean water, clean food and clean environment initiatives will play a greater role in low resource countries. Improvement of the infrastructure will reduce the risk of children developing the disease in the first place,” according to Dr. Robert Steffen, Switzerland, Chair of the 2011 Campaign. “Gastroenterologists worldwide as ‘Global Guardians of Digestive Health’ are expected to greatly contribute in the global fight against enteric infections on May 29 and throughout this year.”
A new page on the WGO Foundation website is created each year, which consists of a package of useful public awareness materials, the featured guideline—2011’s Global Guideline is Acute Diarrhea—information for physicians and patients, an area to submit a society’s event, and a page featuring what different countries and societies have done to celebrate WDHD. Events that have taken place through WGO and its national member societies include lectures, press conferences, symposia, including WDHD information on a society’s website, creating a World Digestive Health Week, and much more.
Formed in 1935 and incorporated in 1958, The World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) is a federation of 110 national societies and 4 regional associations of gastroenterology representing over 50,000 individual members worldwide, focusing on the improvement of standards in gastroenterology training and education on a global scale. The WGO Foundation, incorporated in 2007, is dedicated to raising funds to support WGO educational programs and activities.
#########.
For more information, press only:
WGO Executive Secretariat, +1 (414) 918-9798, info@worldgastroenterology.org
For more information on WGO and its Foundation:
http://www.worldgastroenterology.org / www.wgofoundation.org
