Season’s Greetings from the IHPBA President

Dear Members,

As 2024 comes to a close, I am filled with gratitude for a truly outstanding year for the IHPBA. A highlight was undoubtedly the 15th IHPBA World Congress in Cape Town, where we gathered as a global community to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and advance HPB care.

My heartfelt thanks to Professor Eduard Jonas, Congress President, and Professor Christian Toso, Chair of the Scientific Programme, for their leadership and dedication in delivering a world-class event. Your efforts created a platform for meaningful exchange, setting a benchmark for future congresses.

All Congress recordings are now available to IHPBA members on our educational platform, myHPB. This invaluable resource allows you to revisit the scientific sessions, panel discussions, and state of the art lectures, ensuring you can benefit from the rich content presented at the Congress.

The Congress also marked the launch of the Cape Town Legacy Declaration and its accompanying White Paper, which reflect IHPBA’s commitment to reducing global disparities in HPB care. The Declaration outlines principles and goals to address inequities in access to HPB surgical services and training, while the White Paper provides a detailed framework for action.  

The HPBridge Project is a critical component of this vision. Designed to address disparities in HPB education and care, HPBridge facilitates the exchange of knowledge, resources, and expertise across regions. Its goals include creating educational materials tailored to local needs, supporting training for surgeons in underserved areas, and promoting multidisciplinary collaboration to enhance patient outcomes. By building “bridges” between regions, this initiative directly supports the aspirations of the Legacy Declaration.

We are already looking ahead to the next IHPBA World Congress in Singapore, taking place from 28-31 October 2026. This promises to be another extraordinary gathering of HPB professionals from around the globe, offering cutting-edge scientific sessions, unparalleled networking opportunities, and the chance to experience the vibrant culture of Singapore. Please visit ihpbacongress.org for more details and mark your calendars!

We are thrilled to introduce two new committees this year: the Inclusive Excellence Committee and the Allied Health Professionals Committee. The Inclusive Excellence Committee is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the IHPBA and the broader HPB community. Meanwhile, the Allied Health Professionals Committee aims to engage and support essential members of the healthcare team, recognising their critical role in advancing HPB care. These committees reflect our continued efforts to expand representation, collaboration, and excellence in all aspects of our work.

We are looking forward to the upcoming regional meetings in 2025:

• AHPBA Annual Meeting, 20-23 March 2025, Miami, USA
• 16th Biennial Congress of the E-AHPBA, 10-12 June 2025, Dublin, Ireland
• 10th Biennial Congress of the A-PHPBA, 28 - 31 October 2025. Bangkok, Thailand

These meetings offer opportunities for regional engagement and the sharing of innovations and expertise. Our members receive a discount for all three meetings, and I encourage all members to participate actively and strengthen our global network.

I also wish to extend our deep appreciation to our corporate partners, Baxter and AngioDynamics, whose generous support is instrumental in advancing our mission.

As the year ends, I encourage you to renew your IHPBA membership for 2025 to ensure continued access to invaluable resources like myHPB, the HPB Journal, discounts for upcoming meetings, and connections with our global HPB network. 

Additionally, I invite you to consider making a donation to the IHPBA Foundation, which plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission. You can add a donation when you renew your dues or via the website here. 

Finally, I thank each of you, our members, committees, and volunteers, for your dedication to the IHPBA and to advancing HPB care. Together, we are making a lasting difference.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year. I look forward to continuing this journey together in 2025.

Warm regards,

Professor René Adam
President, IHPBA

Published on Friday 13th December 2024