CONGRESS SUMMARY

Dear friends and colleagues,

Hematology is a rapidly evolving field and a great advance has been been made during the recent years, expanding the therapeutic options by introducing new biological, targeted immunotherapies and cell-mediated therapies, is one of the main conclusions of the Third International Congress of the Macedonian Hematology Association with international participation, which took place in Skopje from September 12 to 14, 2023. We had the pleasure to have some ot the leading hematology experts to share the latest scientific achievements in the diagnostics, pathogenesis and treatment of hematological diseases. It was an event of great significance, especially for the experts in the field of hematology.

The conference was mainly focused on hematological malignancies, a subject that is of growing interest during the last decades. More than thirty internationally aclaimed hematologists shared novelties and conslusions about latest achievements in the treatment of hematological diseases. 

Numerous notable experts were among our distinguished guests, Prof. Roberto Foa (Italy), Prof. Evangelos Therpos (Greece), prof. Francisko Bosch (Spain), prof. Vincent Levy (France), prof. Giuseppe Saglio (Italy), prof. Andrea Bacigalupo (Italy), prof. Tiziano Barbui (Italy), prof. Luca Laurenti (Italy), prof. Nikolaus Martin Kroeger (Germany), prof. Kostas Stamatopoulos (Greece), prof. Igor Aurer (Croatia), prof. Jelena Bila (Serbia), prof. Piers Patten (England).

The session on the cancer-asociated thrombosis was also of a great interest for the audience. The latest European guidelines on cancer associated thrombosis (ESMO guidelines) were presented by their author, prof Grigorios Gerotziafas from Sorbonne University, Paris, France. Other participants in this session included prof. Darko Antic (Serbia) and prof. Drazhen Pulanich (Croatia).

Prof. Irina Panovska Stavridis, the director of the University clinic for Hematology in Skopje and also the current president of the Macedonian Hematology Association, believes that the congress is a confirmation of the recent success and progress of Macedonian hematology as well as continuous education and dedication of Macedonian hematologists.

This Congress justified the primary objective of the Macedonian Hematology Association, to provide continuous education of its members, with the final intention to further improve Macedonian medical science and establish good clinical practice.

It was an exceptional opportunity for all professionals in this field to enrich and refresh their knowledge on latest data on modern diagnostic and prognostic models.

We are grateful that prof. Dimitar Efremov, the co-chair of the congress and former expert from the University clinic for Hematology, Skopje, now living and working in Italy, made his contribution to this congress by organizing the event and presenting a lecture. Following the congress, prof. Efremov commented that the number of 170 registered participants speaks itself for the progress and reputation of the University Clinic for Hematology in Skopje and of the experts who work there.

Through their own presentations and lectures, Macedonian hematologists proved how much this field has advanced in the past five years. The congress ended with the presentation of three award-winning abstracts, and a promise to organize the next congress in the near future.

During the opening ceremony of the congress, The Minister of Health, d-r. Fatmir Mejiti, the Minister of Education and Science, Jeton Shaqiri, the President of Doctor’s Chamber of Macedonia, prof. Kalina Grivcheva and the President of Macedonian Medical Association, prof. Goran Dimitrov gave their speeches and gratitude for the kind invitation.

The success of the congress is another proof of the commitment of our experts to contribute to hematological science and clinical practice and to further improve the management of the patients with hematological diseases.

Respectfully,
Irina Panovska-Stavridis, MD, PhD
Macedonian Hematology Association