Tag: ASOPAN

Focusing on Latin America

At ASIF we are always working to increase our understanding, from an axSpA perspective, of the differences between countries’ healthcare systems and the often complex social issues that affect people’s health. We are now increasing our focus on Latin America.

At ASIF we are always working to increase our understanding, from an axSpA perspective, of the differences between countries’ healthcare systems and the often complex social issues that affect people’s health. This helps ASIF provide support which reflects the real-life challenges facing patients and our member organisations.

We are now increasing our focus on Latin America. This began last November at the EULAR PARE meeting of patient advocates. A few people from outside Europe had been invited, including a representative of the ASOPAN network of 60 Latin American associations that support patients with rheumatic conditions.

Through discussions over the following months, including at April’s PANLAR conference in Colombia, we realised there was a great opportunity to form a partnership between our two organisations. We can learn from ASOPAN about the key issues and challenges across Latin America, and then adapt ASIF’s support to best meet the regional context. This will help ASOPAN’s members integrate axSpA into their activities.

At next month’s Council meeting in Bogotá, our participants from Latin America will start work one day early with an extra meeting looking at the role of patient organisations in helping people with axSpA in Latin America. We will spend the day discussing the challenges facing people with axSpA in the region; gaining practical insights from ASIF’s Latin American members about how they address these challenges and support people with axSpA; and outlining a future programme of activity between our two network organisations.

We hope this will not only be a successful new initiative, but will also be a model we can adapt to other parts of the world. We are very excited about this and look forward to telling you more about it in future.

Globe with Latin America visible

First Latin American Regional Meeting

At ASIF we are always working to increase our understanding, from an axSpA perspective, of the differences between countries’ healthcare systems and the often complex social issues that affect people’s health. We are now increasing our focus on Latin America.

 

 

Collaboration is a vital step in improving the lives of people living with axSpA. ASIF and The Pan American Network of Associations of Rheumatic Patients (ASOPAN) held a joint Latin American Regional meeting the day before the ASIF Council Meeting began in Bogotá. This meeting was the first of its kind and resulted in representatives from Patient Organisations in Brazil, Chile, Panama, Mexico, and Colombia sharing experiences and discussing the needs of their members.

Signing of MOU between ASIF and ASOPAN

ASOPAN (The Pan American Network of Associations of Rheumatic Patients) is a network of patient organisations throughout Latin America supporting patients with RMDs.  Of their members, few specialise in axSpA and many have limited knowledge of the disease.  One objective of this meeting was to explore how ASOPAN and ASIF could work together.  After a stimulating day of discussions and learning, it was agreed that ASOPAN would create a working group on axSpA and ASIF would assist in the development of a workplan to educate patient organisations in the region on axSpA.  This would both enable them to better support people living with axSpA and raise awareness of the disease across the continent.

ASIF and ASOPAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will underscore our future work together. Both foundations, along with the patient organisations are committed to using this partnership to improve the lives of people living with axSpA across Latin America.

A report on this meeting will be available soon. 

Focusing on Latin America

At ASIF we are always working to increase our understanding, from an axSpA perspective, of the differences between countries’ healthcare systems and the often complex social issues that affect people’s health. We are now increasing our focus on Latin America.

At ASIF we are always working to increase our understanding, from an axSpA perspective, of the differences between countries’ healthcare systems and the often complex social issues that affect people’s health. This helps ASIF provide support which reflects the real-life challenges facing patients and our member organisations.

We are now increasing our focus on Latin America. This began last November at the EULAR PARE meeting of patient advocates. A few people from outside Europe had been invited, including a representative of the ASOPAN network of 60 Latin American associations that support patients with rheumatic conditions.

Through discussions over the following months, including at April’s PANLAR conference in Colombia, we realised there was a great opportunity to form a partnership between our two organisations. We can learn from ASOPAN about the key issues and challenges across Latin America, and then adapt ASIF’s support to best meet the regional context. This will help ASOPAN’s members integrate axSpA into their activities.

At next month’s Council meeting in Bogotá, our participants from Latin America will start work one day early with an extra meeting looking at the role of patient organisations in helping people with axSpA in Latin America. We will spend the day discussing the challenges facing people with axSpA in the region; gaining practical insights from ASIF’s Latin American members about how they address these challenges and support people with axSpA; and outlining a future programme of activity between our two network organisations.

We hope this will not only be a successful new initiative, but will also be a model we can adapt to other parts of the world. We are very excited about this and look forward to telling you more about it in future.

Globe with Latin America visible