Pediatricians hold congress

“Challenges for Pediatrics” is the topic of a two-day congress being held by the Belize Pediatric Society for doctors and nurses. The meeting is the fourth to take place since the society was formed in 1996. According to Dr. Javier Magaña, a pediatrician, four years ago the society members committed themselves to providing continued education to medical practitioners by holding yearly meetings for their membership and guests.

Dr. Javier Magaña, Pediatrician

“Well the topics we chose for this congress; we name it “Challenges for Pediatrics.” So we are just trying to basically focus on doctors that are working in their private clinics outside of the hospital setting. Basic diseases that they encounter on a daily basis like abdominal pains, cough, headaches — things that babies would always be affected by — and that is one of the major consultations of children to our clinics. So that is what we are focusing on, the challenges we face on a daily basis in our clinics.

Everything in medicine is preventable. So we always have to work in the prevention of diseases rather than the cure of diseases. That is one of the purpose why we have the public nurses with us today. So the public health nurses are the ones involved with the prevention of diseases and some of the common diseases that we are discussing now.”

On Wednesday the meeting will include a workshop in which children have been invited to participate and discuss AIDS. The fourth annual Pediatrics Congress is taking place at the Radisson Fort George Hotel.