We in MCCA try to offer the necessary tools for the interaction with the critically ill patients and their families from a holistic perspective, we strive to ensure adequate interdisciplinary care and keep at the vanguard in the application of the latest practice standards that guarantee the optimal quality of care provided by the critical care team

As part of MCCA mission to  encourage and promote professional excellence, advance the science and practice of critical care, and serve as an advocate for patients, their families, the public, the profession and the intensivists, we invite you to attend our fourth ventilator workshop that will be held on October 20-21, 2010 in Damascus at Assad University Hospital.

This course is directed towards physicians and nurses working or interested in the field of critical care and mechanical ventilation for neonates, pediatrics and Adults. You can get more information by visiting our website at: http://mecriticalcare.net/meetings/Ventilator2010/VentilatorCourse2010.php.

Regards

Mazen Kerallah, MD, FCCP

We are proud of being part of the Syrian American Medical Association (SAMA) in Syria. We have shared knowledge and experience with about three hundred physicians in both adult and pediatric critical care medicine during our meeting in Damascus where we have delivered up-to-date information in both fields. Dr. Sharour “the president of SAMA” as he mentioned during his speach in the SAMA meeting on Friday May 7 was very pleased with the performance and extended his appreciation to all members. 

The members of the Middle East Critical Care Assembly has proved that they stand up for their vision in promoting the highest standards of multidisciplinary care for critically ill patients through education and professional development, this meeting reflected the high caliber and the enthusiasm of the speakers and was an example of a teamwork, it proved that Together Everyone Achieve More (TEAM)!, thanks for Ashraf Nadeem, Ashraf Tarifi, Ghyath Jamil, Hussain Al-Awadhi, M. Saleem Kabbani, Mohammad Shaaban, Mohammed Zeitouni, And Raed Kolko.

The scientific program was fantastic and the addition of the Evidence-based medicine, year in review and the debate sessions were very well perceived, our meeting is growing and for the first time we had attendees from outside Syria. Thanks to Dr. Jihad Zahraa, Dr. Nabil Abouchal and Dr. Hachem Daadouch for organizing and directing the congress.

Everyone was impressed with the outstanding presentation of Dr. Lama Nazir who has joined our group recently and shared with us the same vision and objectives, on behalf of all members I would like to welcome her to this outstanding assembly and look forward towards more activities in the future.

The participation of Dr. Hassan Alfara and Dr. Ammar Alhakim was remarkable and added special skills with their expertise that was appreciated by everyone, I would like to extend our great pleasure that we had the opportunity to work together and look forward for more productive meetings.

We were also pleased to have the expertise of a well-known surgeon in the field of Neurosurgery to be shared with us in the meeting that benefited all attendees, special thanks to your efforts Dr. Ahmd Alkhani.

At the same time, I want to acknowledge the special efforts of Dr. Naem Shahrour and Dr. Mohammad Zeitouni to be able to represent SAMA at the Anesthesia Meeting in Hama where both traveled to Hama on the same days of our meeting and presented two critical care sessions that were well-perceived, this collaboration with the Syrian Anesthesia Society was vital for our relationship with them and for our next year meeting. 

Dr. Abdulazziz Alhashimi was recognized by everyone with his wonderful personality, enthusiasm and knowledge; in addition to the well-organized and scientific lecture on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia that he gave. I can see that Abdulazziz fits very well in the group and would like to ask him on behalf of everyone to join us and be part of MECCCA.

I think by now; everyone knows that the meeting would not be successful without the participation of the respiratory therapists; I would like to thank Suaad, Nawara and Ghada for their outstanding performance.

You probably noticed that the meeting was well-organized, and I want you to know that without the relentless efforts of Hussam Hamdoun it would not have being as such. He along with Abdulla Arab, Sami Alsyouri, Hiba Majdalawi and Ola Omar have worked very hard as a team over the preceding few weeks prior to the meeting to have everything well-prepared, I want them to know that everyone appreciated their work.

As we finished the meeting successfully; we will be planning very soon for the third Annual Meeting in April 2011, thank you for believing in our mission and working hard towards our objectives and thanks for being part of us!..

Mazen Kherallah, MD, FCCP
MECCA President

The Middle East Critical Care Assembly of The Syrian American Medical Associatiion is glad to introduce to you Second Critical Care Medicine Update Symposium that will be held at ssad niversity Hospital in Damascus on May 6-8, 2010.

The representative office in Syria of the World Health Organization has organized and conducted four conferences in Syria concerning the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the management of severe respiratory disease in the intensive care units. You can download the clinical practice notes and guidelines that were released at the end of the meetings and are based on the clinical experience in Syria and Saudi Arabia as well as international experience. 

As part of the Middle East Critical Care Group mission to improve outcome through education, the first Pediatric Ventilator Course and Workshops has been conducted in Damascus at Assad University Hospital in collaboration with the Syrian American Medical Association (SAMA) on August 12-13, 2009.

The course was very organized and successful, the objectives were met and the course exceeded the expectation with more thank 180 participants, 15 hours of ventilator theory and 6 hours of State of the Art workshops. Thanks to the efforts of Hussam Hamdoun to organize among all the different aspects of the course.
On behalf of the Middle East Critical Care Group (MECCG) and the Syrian American Medical Association (SAMA), I would like to extend special thanks and appreciation to the organizers of the course: Dr. Shahd Al-Swaid, Dr. Jihad Zahraa, Dr.Saleem Kabbani, Dr. Hachem Daadouch and Dr. Ammar Hakeem. I would also like to thank the speakers who exerted special efforts to make this course a successful event: Dr. Mohammad Tamim, Dr. Sawsan Alyousef and Dr. Ousama Alahmad. I also would like to thank the respiratory therapists who joined us in this course from Saudi Arabia and made a fantastic efforts throughout the course: Rakan Aldewirij and Hamad Alenzi.

I also would like to mention that the Instructor Course that was conducted along with the pediatric course was a special event that will mature very soon with well trained instructors who are well qualified to participate in future course, thanks to Dr. Reem Alsadat, Dr. Maha Fayad, Dr. Asem Shamaa, Dr. Rami Arab, Dr. Hussam Bardan and Dr. Ahmad Samman for their participation.

We at the Middle East Critical Care Group are looking forward for more successful courses that will serve the mission of our well-organized group.

Thank you all for a well done job.

Mazen Kherallah, MD, FCCP

”The programme was excellent and opened my mind to new concepts that I wasn’t aware of” Damascus
“I feel a responsibility to rethink all our ventilation strategies and plan to discuss and implement these with my colleagues”Damascus
“Everything went smoothly. I gained so much value from meeting doctors from other parts of the country. Please let us know dates of future courses” Aleppo
“Thank you for a challenging experience. We will definitely take the message back home on how to improve our work” Tartous delegation
“Thank you for the lovely warm hospitality and for taking such good care of us” Damascus
"I definitely feel that it was an excellent investment and very relevant for my ventilation practice” Homs