ASTHMACON 2024 was jointly organized by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and the Calcutta Metropolis Academy of Pediatrics at the Calcutta Medical College Hospital. The purpose of this conference was to exchange professional experiences on managing and preventing childhood asthma, with an emphasis on the most recent developments.

The highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between IAP and Oxford University, England. It was a first-time collaboration. Dr. Amit Gupta, representing Oxford University and NHS, signed the agreement, which enables Indian pediatricians to undergo a 3-year training program at NHS hospitals affiliated with Oxford University. President Dr. GV Basav Raj, Secretary General Dr. Yogesh Parikh, and Treasurer Dr. Atanu Bhadra represented IAP.

IAP signed an agreement with the Bangladesh Pediatric Association, facilitating exchange programs for pediatricians between the two countries to improve treatment outcomes. Dr. Taraman Sabura, Dr. Jahangir Alam, and Dr. Rahul Amin represented the Bangladesh Pediatric Association.

The symposium included innovative asthma therapies for children, with a focus on the value of inhaler therapy and, in more severe cases, SMART (Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy). Dr. Atanu Bhadra emphasized the organization’s initiatives to educate students about asthma in the classroom, provide them with inhaler training, and promote the installation of FirstTed boxes in all schools as a means of preventing asthma attacks.

Priyanka Dutta