Leave No One Behind: The Forum of International Respiratory Societies calls for equitable access to prevention and treatment on World Lung Day 2023 25 September 2023 This World Lung Day, September 25, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) and its founding member Pan African Thoracic Society, is calling on governments and healthcare providers worldwide to give equitable access to preventative services and treatments for respiratory conditions, and lifesaving pneumonia vaccines for children.

Dear PATS Members and Family,

In this second edition of our newsletter for 2023, it is great to reflect on the last three months and to share with you some news of our organization.

01 August 2023 is "World Lung Cancer Day"

PATS President Prof Refiloe Masekela was among four global health researchers awarded prestigious NIHR Professorships.

PATS Vice President, Anglophone region, Dr Obianuju Beatrice Ozoh was awarded the World Lung Health Award during the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2023 Congress in Washington in May. 

World Lung Day is marked on 25 September each year to raise awareness and advocate for improved care for respiratory diseases globally. PATS, alongside other members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), encourages hosting local advocacy events on this day. In 2022, PATS successfully launched the PATS Lung health Initiative (PALI) to raise awareness and advocate for improved lung health in Africa. PALI is an annual award designed to support World Lung Day advocacy programs that promote lung health in Africa.

The PATS and ERS paediatric webinar series continues with a Sickle cell disease and the lung: current treatment strategies and lung function trajectory webinar on 21 August 2023. 

01 July 2023 is "World Bronchiectasis Day"

The 3rd Biennial Pan African Thoracic Society Conference was held in collaboration with the Respiratory Society of Kenya from 07 - 10 June 2023 in Mombasa, Kenya. The conference was a great success with over 100 delegates from different parts of Africa and beyond. The theme of the conference was "The African Environment and Lung Health" which aimed to explore the relationship between the African environments effect of physical elements such as air pollution and climate change, and also social factors like poverty, overcrowding, and displacement on lung health in the African context. 

FIRS calls for action to prevent young people from taking up smoking

On World No Tobacco Day (May 31, 2023) the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), of which the Pan African Thoracic Society is a founding member, is encouraging policy makers to take steps to prevent young people from taking up smoking.  

The PATS and ERS paediatric webinar series continues with a Respiratory complications of HIV infections webinar on 22 May 2023. 

The British Thoracic Society Global Lung Health Group in partnership with the Pan African Thoracic Society is delighted to announce another exciting programme of placements.

The PATS and ERS paediatric webinar series continues with a Respiratory Care for the Newborns in Resource-limited settings webinar on 13 April 2023. 

PATS President Dr Joseph A Aluoch was recently awarded Emeritus Regional Adviser status by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.