13th Congress of BADV

Dear Friends and Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, Excellence's

It is a great honor and privilege to hold the 13th Congress of Baltic Association of Dermatovenerologists (BADV) in Riga, Latvia, July 21-23, 2016.

25 years from now in 1991 the three Baltic countries - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - regained their independence and Baltic dermatologists started to gather under the umbrella of BADV. This year Baltic dermatology celebrates its 25th Anniversary. This is a time for us to look back and remember, and to look forward and continue. There have been many achievements in the Baltic dermatology and there have been achievements in the World dermatology. There are many things we have changed our specialty dramatically - innovations and discoveries. Unfortunately, there still remains at least one large problem - neglect and stigmatization of dermatology and venerology at the top governmental levels. This affects not only the Baltics, but many countries in the World. Here we encounter on of the severest forms of discrimination - discrimination by skin. Skin color does not matter - just the skin. This means, that if the only organ affected by disease is skin - then governments see it as a minor problem - and the patient and doctor are left on their own. Due to this discrimination - discrimination by skin - many our patients do not have access to the proper skin-health-care. In most Baltic countries governmental investments in public dermatology and skin research are still miserable. I am sure many of you have asked yourself this questions: "Why do our democratic governments discriminate our specialty and patients? Aren't they aware, that skin is vital for health, general well-being and economic activity? Isn't that important, that 10 % of patients in adult population and up to 25% in pediatric are dermatological?"

I hope the next 25 years will be the years of profound recognition of our specialty at all levels. Recognition of dermatology as a vital specialty for human health and medicine.

The first steps towards full recognition and development of dermatovenerology at a new level will be initiated at the 13th BADV Congress in Riga. What they will be? Please come and see!

Human health and skin health - is one health!

You are kindly welcome to the 13th Congress of BADV, Riga, Latvia!

Andris Rubins, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman
Department of Dermatovenerology University of Latvia
President of Latvian and Baltic Association of Dermatovenerologists,
President of the 13th BADV Congress