New Sister Centers join ISN’s Eastern and Central Europe network
Renal centers in Russia and Belarus are working with nephrologists in Belgium and Italy to find new ways of managing and treating young patients.
Larisa Prikhodina, from the Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics at Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, explains the struggles doctors face when managing patients through the country’s centralized health system. Many individuals are transferred to Moscow or St-Petersburg to get the care they need.
Treating young patients with rare forms of kidney disease is especially challenging. Dr. Prikhodina’s ties with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven’s Pediatric Unit mean more can be learned from the Belgian team’s experience of inherited kidney disorders.
Head of Leuven’s Pediatric Unit Elena Levtchenko believes in the value of partnerships when looking into complex cases: “Personal contact is important and working together to advise on different cases means the best outcome for patients.”
Together, they hope to take a wider diagnostic approach. As one of Europe’s expert’s in science collaboration, the University of Leuven has several guidelines and protocols that can be translated and applied to treating Russia’s larger scope of undiagnosed patient cases.
Ina Kazyra, based at Belarus State Medical University Pediatric Unit, and Rosanna Coppo, from Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita in Italy, also have plans to make the most of their new partnership to build pediatric nephrology in Minsk and beyond.
First up, a Continuing Medical Education course will help update their medical literature and set up regular monthly web sessions to discuss cases and share protocols.
They also hope to establish more European connections through links with the European Society of Pediatric Nephrology and its working groups dedicated to dialysis, chronic kidney disease and inherited kidney diseases.
To find out how to join the ISN Sister Renal Center Program, CLICK HERE.
