Message from the President - October 2011

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

I have recently got back from attending the 5th Asian Chapter Meeting held in Pattaya, Thailand last week. It was a tremendous success. The meeting – well attended with approximately 1400 delegates – had a real buzz about it. Everything ran smoothly and my thanks go to Dusit Lumlertgul and Kriengsak Vareesngthip and their team and the faculty of speakers for their excellent organisation and planning.

We were all very impressed by what has been achieved by all those involved in the 'Thai PD First Policy'. As a result of its implementation Thai patients with renal failure who previously had no access to renal replacement therapy before its implementation because there was no comprehensive insurance (the majority) now have the opportunity to survive on PD. By 2009 the national take on rate had increased to 123 ppm - compared to just 23 ppm in 2001. By June 2011 more than 12,600 had initiated CAPD – and extraordinary achievement by any standard!

I am also very proud to announce formally the publication of our first set of translated guidelines – appropriately enough in Chinese. This fulfils the first step in the commitment by ISPD to make its services to the PD community more accessible. My thanks for this initiative go to those involved in the translation, especially by Prof. Wang Mei, Dr. Zhao Huiping and Dr. Wu Bei from Peking University People's Hospital, and to Martin Wilkie, chair of the Guidelines Committee. For details please visit http://www.pdiconnect.com/cgi/data/30/4/393/DC2/1

With Best wishes,

Simon Davies

President, ISPD