Document Download: World Neurology - July/August 2021

Published by Ascend Integrated Media LLC, Kansas, USA

From the editors

Steven L. Lewis, MD, Editor, and Walter Struhal, MD, Co-Editor

We would like to welcome all neurologists worldwide to the July-August issue of World Neurology. This issue begins with the important and sobering update by Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram about the epidemic of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis occurring within the COVID-19 pandemic, including its current treatment recommendations. On a more uplifting note, WFN President Prof. William M. Carroll provides us a number of important updates in his President's Column, including the ongoing festivities for this year's World Brain Day, the exciting plans for the World Congress of Neurology just a few short months away, and the Annual General Meeting of the Council of Delegates of the WFN. WFN First Vice President, Prof. Ryuji Kaji also provides an update on the four candidate cities for World Congress of Neurology 2025.

This is followed by the statements from each of these candidate cities: Beijing, Brisbane, Istanbul, and Seoul. Following these proposals are the statements from each of the candidates for WFN elected trustee, first vice president, and president.

In this issue's history column, Prof. Peter Koehler provides a detailed analysis of the likely migraine occurring in the renowned scientist, Christiaan Huygens. And in his ongoing column, WFN Secretary General Prof. Wolfgang Grisold updates us on the activities of the WFN Finance Committee and the Specialty Group on Neuroepidemiology.

Profs. Satish Khadilkar and Sarosh Katrak describe the history and evolution of the highly successful AAN-WFN Continuum Program in Mumbai, and its recent conversion to a digital format. Prof. Mustapha El Alaoui- Faris details his look back on eight years of experience successfully training Sub-Saharan African Neurologists at the WFN Training Center in Rabat, and provides his thoughts for further optimization of these educational efforts. Dr. Lawrence Robbins provides a personal view of setting up a neurology clinic in Central America, and advice for others considering such volunteer opportunities.

Finally, Prof. Aida Kondybayeva updates us on the details of the recent and highly successful neurology Online Update meeting held in Kazakhstan. Thank you for your interest in World Neurology and the many activities detailed in these issues. We look forward to seeing so many of you attending the upcoming World Congress of Neurology this October. As always, we look forward to your contributions to this publication, including updates on the many recent and ongoing activities of this year's World Brain Day. •

Highlights

From the WFN

• COVID 19 and the AAN-WFN Continuum Program in Mumbai
  By Satish Khadilkar And Sarosh Katrak

  The COVID pandemic had universal effects on medicine, and Mumbai was no exception. In fact, being a densely populated city with lots of international travelers, the cases appeared early and the magnitude was high, throwing the health system off gear. While most of the younger neurologists continued to work, they had to be involved with COVID duties as well. The focus shifted to service medicine and service neurology in a major way, and academic activities had to take a back seat.

• WCN 2025 List of Candidate Cities Finalized
  By Ryuji Kaji MD, PhD

  The venue of WCN 2025 will be selected from Asian-Oceanian cities by electronic voting by the council of delegates this year. Each candidate society produced a statement detailing and promoting the bid, which is published in this issue of World Neurology, as well as a five minute video version of the bid which is displayed on the WFN website in the period before the WFN member societies vote on the 2025 venue.

• Prestigious WFN Medals Announced

President's Column

• Excitement in the Air
  By William Carroll, MD

  Despite the dampening effect of the pandemic on all aspects of our lives, the next few months look set to present a welcome diversion. This month, we celebrate the Eighth World Brain Day (WBD), and in October, the XXV World Congress of Neurology (WCN) during which the WFN Council of Delegates will hold its Annual General Meeting and elect the next preident, vice president, and trustee.

History

• Migraine in Famous People: The Case of Christiaan Huygens
  By Peter J. Koehler

  Many famous persons, today as well as in the past, suffer(ed) from migraine. With a prevalence of around 16% for women and 8% for men, it ranks high in the Global Burden of Disability. Going back in history, it may be difficult to make a retrospective diagnosis, in particular, if not all symptoms, as described in current diagnostic classifications, are mentioned.

WFN Elections

• Candidate Statement For Elected WFN Trustee: Alla Guekht
• Candidate Statement For First Vice President: Riadh Gouider, Gustavo Román, Guy Rouleau
• Candidate Statement For President: Ryuji Kaji, Wolfgang Grisold, Youssef Al-Said

WFN Training Centre

• Eight Years of Experience in Training African Neurologists in Rabat
  By Prof. Mustapha El Alaoui-Faris, WFN Rabat Training Center

  After the accreditation of the Rabat Training Center in September 2013, the WFN signed a contract with the Mohammed V University of Rabat to train neurologists from Sub-Saharan Africa in Morocco. It was decided to start with complementary training in clinical neurophysiology for neurologists who have already completed their studies.

WFN Committees and Specialty Groups

• The Finance Committee and the Specialty Group on Neuroepidemiology
  By Wolfgang Grisold

  In this issue of World Neurology, we would like to continue to introduce you to one committee and one specialty group. The committee/specialty group is introduced by the respective chairs, who were asked to explain their tasks and activities to our membership. Further details, such as the list of committee/ specialty group members can be found on the WFN website, as well as email addresses of the chairs and members, which will be helpful if you want additional information.

Around the World

• An Epidemic of Mucormycosis Strikes India During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  By Chandrashekhar Meshram

  The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating in India with a sudden spurt in cases during the second quarter of the year, and with the count of daily cases crossing 400,000. During this pandemic, there was another epidemic of the fungal infection mucormycosis. This pandemic and epidemic

• A Neurology and Psychiatry Clinic in Central America - With Suggestions for Starting a Clinic
  By Lawrence Robbins, MD

  Starting the Clinic: The clinic is located within an excellent rural medical center near the main city (Tegucigalpa). Associating with an established medical center has been ideal. Ninety-five percent of the population has no access to neurology or psychiatry. I decided that it was crucial to supply various neurology and psychiatry medications. Locating the clinic relatively close to a big city was important.

• Neurology Update in Kazakhstan 2021
  By Aida Kondybayeva, MD, PhD

  The International Educational Online Forum: Neurology Update in Kazakhstan was held April 23-24, 2021. Forums of this scale in Kazakhstan are held every two years, and this forum was being held online for the first time. The event was attended by 985 doctors, including neurologists, internists, GPs, rehabilitation specialists, and intensive care specialists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Ukraine.