Abiel Mascarenas M.D. 
SLIPE President
2017-2019

Carmen C. Deseda M.D.
Former SLIPE President
2015-2017

Why do you attend WSPID congresses?

The WSPID 2019 Congress will provide an excellent opportunity to meet prestigious researchers and experts to share ideas and knowledge in infectious diseases.

What are your top sessions?

The top sessions are vaccine related topics, emergent diseases, and impact on climate changes, extensive international travel, and infectious disease propagation.

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

The ones mentioned above.

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

Emerging infections and the roll of vaccines to control and prevent outbreaks and epidemics.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

The discussions, presentations, and interactions within the Congress are highly relevant for all.

Of course first because I am a member of the Board , treasurer of WSPID and member of the International Scientific Committee. Second: because WSPID offers opportunities to interact with colleagues from low and middle income countries and contribute to their education in the field of pediatric infectious diseases. Third: to learn more about developments and expertise in infectious diseases in Asia, Africa and South and Middle America. Last : WSPID offers an excellent program with a focus on infectious diseases which are of global importance.

What are your top 3 sessions?

I have no preference : virtually all sessions offer topics of interest and excellent speakers. The 2 selected major lectures are of special interest as is the session on innovation.

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

Of course major diseases such as TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, dengue and outbreaks such as Ebola and Zikavirus infections. However much attention is also needed for other major diseases such as Hepatitis B, meningitis, neonatal and congenital infections and a large number of neglected (tropical) diseases. Of course attention for vaccines to prevent diseases is of major importance.

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

I have no specific advise except that young professionals should seek to go to as many sessions as possible and also use the opportunity to interact with both junior and senior colleagues.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

It is the only meeting in the world in which the focus in the program is directed to the problems in low and middle income countries thus allowing contacts between experts from all regions of the world. The WSPID has also an increasingly large group of speakers from the organizing country and region thus providing opportunities for networking within the region but also outside the region.

Why do you attend WSPID congresses?

Ability to keep up with trends in paediatric infectious diseases beyond my own interests.

What are your top 3 sessions?

WSPID Symposium 4 Emerging ID Challenges in the Five Continents – expert opinions on global issues

WSPID Interactive Session 2: Infection Prevention and Control in low-resource settings – could be the most important topic that will make health care settings safer

WSPID Symposium 18: ‘Hot’ papers in the field of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 2017-2019 – an excellent way to keep up with the literature and get insights into important papers

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

IPC, immunizations, TB, HIV

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

As much as possible, including ‘Meet the professor’ to gain personal insights.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

Ability to meet and interact with colleagues from both settings & to see what is transferrable in both directions; innovations in low resource settings often pragmatic and not very expensive.

Why do you attend WSPID congresses?

I have been attending WSPID regularly for many reasons. It is the world best forum to gather answers to ,many global issues in relation to pediatric infectious diseases. There are many leading conferences, most of them regional, yet their discussions are often confined to local scenarios. WSPID on the other hand gives a broader view of global issues prevalent at the time. One good example was 2015-16 Zika virus epidemic. There were many lectures, posters and seminars related to Zika infection updating all of us during 2015 WSPID in Brazil. Another reason of-course is the forum that it creates among the regular participants allowing us to meet old friends biennially. This is almost like a ritualistic phenomenon.

What are your top 3 sessions?

Almost all sessions are equally good. But meet the professors is a platform where you can gather lot of new information. I like sessions on vaccines and antibiotic resistance.

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

Vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaccine lobbying and safety of vaccines are some important topics. emerging infections in relation to deforestation and urbanization is another emerging global issue needing discussion.overuse of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance and dysbiosis is another global issue needing attention.

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

This is a very difficult question to answer. Depending on their  interest, sessions vary from person to person. To me all sessions are equally important to trainee IDs.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

This is perhaps the only ID conference where both low and high resource setting ID specialists have something to learn. I have attended many regional conferences where they focus mainly  on their local issues. Very little attention is given to global problems.

Why do you attend WSPID congresses?

The explicit focus of WSPID to promote the growth of PID societies in lower income countries is completely in line with my own interest and work: we can learn so much from the experience of health professionals from a range of countries with different epidemiology and practices.

What are your top 3 sessions?

I particularly look forward to the World Café sessions, e.g. on Migrant Health. A World Café session is a great way to not only learn from the speakers but also from each other as participants. Rather than a speaker-audience format, rooms will be divided in tables where each participant can share his/her experiences in a lively discussion.

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

The controversies in Pneumonia session will cover data on host, pathogen and environmental factors leading to fatal pneumonia as well as controversies in diagnosis ánd management of childhood pneumonia. Also, I’ll certainly attend the Meet the Professor session on Ebola on Friday.

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

One of the great things about our conference in Manila is that there are many sessions to stimulate young clinician scientists in their personal development. There will be interactive sessions on e.g. clinical research and life balance, international research collaborations and ethics in research.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

All sessions! No need to divide between ‘low’ and ‘high’ resource sessions, WSPID is all about learning from each other. We need to cross boundaries to address the patient’s most relevant questions, wherever we are.

Why do you attend WSPID congresses?

Keeping up with the latest in the field of paediatric infectious diseases, which is much simpler than searching the literature by self alone.

What are your top 3 sessions?

• Save the Children and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Symposium, Pneumonia Innovations, 2019 – I have special interest in pneumonia; and I’m taking part in this symposium. In recent time BMG Foundation has had a lot of impact on treatment of pneumonia in Nigeria. There is a new study to seek for the “Holy Grail” solution to the unacceptable under-5s pneumonia deaths in Nigeria being funded by Save the Children.
• WSPID Symposium 1, Innovation in Infectious Diseases – It’s good to know what the latest stand on things is.
• WSPID Symposium 7, Antimicrobial Stewardship into the 2020 – This will always be a relevant topic as it addresses survival of humanity in his battle against lethal bacteria.

What are the hot topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases that are relevant for Global Child Health?

IPC, immunizations, TB, HIV, Community-acquired pneumonia.

Which sessions should early career #PedsID attend?

As much as sessions as possible, including ‘Meet the professor’ to gain personal insights.

Why is this meeting highly relevant for pediatricians from both low and high resource settings?

The attendance of the conference is compulsory for any physician who hopes to manage his/her patients well.