A Year as WSPID President – Professor Asha Bowen
This week marks one year since Professor Asha Bowen assumed the presidency of WSPID, and the first woman to lead the society.
In this time, she has begun to guide the organization in a new direction. A strategic plan aimed at the next 5-10 years, featuring a revised mission and core purpose along with five strategic pillars, will start to be rolled out in the upcoming year.
The format for the WSPID congresses is also evolving to offer participants a more intimate experience, incorporating additional interactive elements and clinical case discussions. This new approach will not only boost networking opportunities but also create a rich environment for collaboration.
This year, WSPID launched its first podcast series, “Syndromic Insights”, featuring Dr. Linny Phuong and Dr. Alicia Chang. The series explores the realm of syndromic testing and pediatric infectious diseases. Joined by key experts, they discuss and contextualize cases from around the globe, covering topics from human rhinovirus to gastrointestinal infections. They also delve into current research on future health threats and the role of artificial intelligence, while highlighting important ethical considerations related to syndromic testing. Listen to the podcasts at pod.co/wspid/welcome-to-the-world-of-syndromic-insights. For more insightful educational resources, be sure to check out our e-learning platform at education.wspid.org
Additionally in the past 12 months, Professor Bowen has been recognized with the prestigious Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours and has been elected as a Fellow of the esteemed Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences!
As we look ahead to the next 12 months, our biennial congress is set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from October 28-31, 2024. Learn more at wspid2025.com. The 5th edition of the Blue Book, scheduled for release in 2025, has been developed in collaboration with WSPID, featuring contributions from 247 authors who represent our regional members across over 40 countries. This upcoming edition will introduce more global themes and include new chapters focused on management in resource-limited settings, as well as on neglected tropical diseases. We will be sharing more information closer to the release date.
