In Almaty, on April 1 and 2, the Faculty of Medicine and Health of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, with the support of Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy, held an international conference "Respiratory Junction Almaty: Where East meets West". The event was held in the framework of the annual forum "VI International Farabian Readings" 

The aim of conference - is the exchange of knowledge and experience between leading experts of the East and West on the most topical issues of pulmonology. The meeting of scientists in the field of medicine is intended to raise universal standards of pulmonological care through dialogue and the transfer of knowledge on the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment.

The first international conference "Respiratory Junction Almaty: Where East meets West" is devoted to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a disease that significantly affects the quality and duration of life of a sick person, a serious burden on the health care system.

According to the global COPD GOLD initiative, more than 300 million people in the world suffer from COPD – 10% of the adult population. Scientists predict that by 2020, the death rate from COPD increases, making it the third leading cause of death. The first two: coronary heart disease and stroke, oncopathology (2015). The disease can be prevented if urgent measures are taken to control the main risk factors: smoking and air pollution.

According to estimates by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the number of patients with COPD in the country is at least 800,000. However, this figure does not correspond to the results of the international study - it is significantly undervalued.

"The results of the first international epidemiological study in the CIS countries on the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 17 times differ from the official figures of the Ministry of health of Kazakhstan, demonstrating the example of Almaty high level of morbidity in Kazakhstan in comparison with other countries," — said the press service of PBN Hill+Knowlton Strategies — a leading international Agency dealing with strategic communications in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries.

A key speaker at the conference was one of the world's leading experts on COPD Klaus Vogelmeier — MD, Professor, Dr. Habilitate; Chair of the Science Committee of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD); Director of the Clinic for internal medicine, pulmonology, intensive care and sleep medicine of the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg; member of the German center for pulmonology research (Marburg, Germany). In his report, he reflected the main global trends in the prevalence of COPD and modern methods of disease control, new approaches in treatment and diagnosis

     The conference was attended by leading domestic experts in the field of pulmonology, President of the Academy of clinical and fundamental medicine of the Republic of Kazakhstan, academician of NAS RK, MD, Professor, chair of Phthisiopulmonology NMU Muminov Talgat Ashirovich. He presented the audience interesting data on topical issues of diagnosis and detection of COPD in Kazakhstan, especially the diagnosis and course of the disease in combination with common diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis.

President of the Association of Family Doctors in Kazakhstan, MD, Professor, Damilya S. Nugmanova told about the results of the first international epidemiological study in the CIS countries on the prevalence of COPD, in which the professor was directly involved. The report emphasized the important role of primary care in the control of the disease, and the quality of training in the diagnosis of COPD.    

The leading pulmonologist of Kyrgyzstan, MD, professor, (I.K. Akhunbaev Kyrgyz State Medical Academy) Nurlan N. Brimkulov also stressed the special function of the primary care doctors in identifying and timely diagnosis of this disease as the leading cause of death, and shared in detail reflections on the necessary competences of a general practitioner, for the quality of medical care for this category of patients.    

An impressive report on modern methods of assessment and objective stratification of patients with COPD using machine learning algorithms was presented by Nurlan Dauletbaev - our compatriot from Canada MD, PhD, research physician, pulmonologist, specialist in Personalized Medicine, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University McGill Montreal, Quebec.    

Denis V. Vinnikov, associate Professor, head of the research laboratory of health and environment of the Faculty of medicine and health of al-Farabi KazNU, national delegate from Kazakhstan to ERS, presented a report on professional COPD to the audience.    

Young scientist from Kyrgyzstan PhD, assistant of the Department of family medicine of postgraduate education. I. K. Akhunbayev KSMA, ERS short-term fellowship program scholar Sadykov Salima Zh. Sadykova presented the results of her own study on the diagnosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Rapporteur made head of the Department of hospital therapy of the NAO "MUS", PhD, fellow of the ERS short-term fellowship Ardak N. Zhumagalieva.

The event was scheduled breakout session, the moderators of which were Nurlan N. Brimkulov – MD, Professor, I. K. Akhunbaev Kyrgyz State Medical Academy and Symbat A. Absemieva, MD, PhD, Deputy Director, graduate school of Al-Farabi KazNU (Kazakhstan), which had a very lively discussion on "What is called COPD, severe bronchial asthma, or cross syndrome "asthma-COPD" - reporter MD, Professor, chief specialist c. Almaty, head of the Republican Allergological Center Tair T.Nurpeisov. Of particular interest was the case analysis during the report «Pneumonia or exacerbation of COPD? General and various in therapeutic strategies» professor, MD, head of the department of clinical disciplines Al-Farabi KazNU Gaukhar M. Kurmanova. The results of his own research on the impact of the environmental situation in Almaty as a risk factor for COPD among residents of different areas of the city presented Denis V. Vinnikov - MD, associate Professor, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

At the end of the event, a round table was held with the participation of leading pulmonologists from Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, at which the participants praised the organization of the conference, the level of presentations and the productivity of the discussion. The discussed topic is extremely relevant not only for Kazakhstan, but also for the entire world community, due to the projected significant growth of this pathology in connection with environmental pollution. This conference is held on the basis of the Medical Faculty of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University as the leading multi-disciplinary university of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which has all the resources, including human, for implementing an extensive program on the transfer of advanced knowledge and technologies on COPD in the region of Central Asia and Kazakhstan will give a new impetus to the development of pulmonary science and will allow to fully implement the tasks set forth in the Conference resolution.

Faculty of Medicine Al-Farabi KazNU will hold a conference “Respiratory Junction Almaty: Where East meets West” annually as an international educational forum and a platform for discussion between leading experts on pressing problems of pulmonology and transfer of innovations.

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