Greetings from the International Ostomy Association (IOA) Coordination Committee

Over the past 6 months we have been in a transition phase from the former structure of IOA to the new structure agreed to at the World Meeting in Frankfurt in November last year.

A new constitution was endorsed and introduced at that time.

Remember we now have only 3 regions.

EOA (European Ostomy Association)
There was no change to this region and the 2 representatives on the IOA Coordination Committee(C/C) are now Anne Demmick (United Kingdom IA – Ireland) and Ria Smeijers(The Netherlands).
EOA held their 13th Congress in Lviv, Ukraine in May and there Ria Smeijers was elected President. Anne Demmick from IA Great Britain was electd as the other IOA Coordination Committee member. Arne Holte is sincerely thanked for his 2 terms as EOA president, membership of the IOA Executive and the IOA CC and his work to support ostomates with his region and around the world.
Further information can be found re Member associations and their activities on their website.

OAA (Ostomy Association Americas)
This is a new combined region of North and South America including the Caribbean. Ken Aukett (UOAA-USA) and Teresa Antequera (ABO – Bolivia) are their C/C representatives.
Shortly they will launch a new website and this will be shown as a link as soon as it is launched. Updates for their activities and projects etc will be shown there.

ASPOA (Asian and Pacific Ostomy Association)
This is a combination of the Asian and South Pacific Regions.
Their new website is also being developed and will also be shortly launched. The AOA website is still operating Michi Takaishi (Japan) and Barry Maughan (New Zealand) represent ASPOA on the IOA C/C.

IOA C/C Activity
Meetings were held in January with the manufacturers in Denmark and USA (Hollister, ConvaTec and Coloplast) to explain the new Organization and explore their support for IOA through the Regions.

The IOA website is under re development and will be launched shortly. Some changes have been made to the existing website in the interim.
Ann Favreau continues as the appointed IOA CC secretary.

PROJECTS
The projects previously planned have continued.
The second stage of the AtH (Access to Healthcare) project has been carried out with full day meetings in Beijing and Guangzhou. (Harikesh Buch, Barry Maughan, Louise Lalande) A review of activity in Hangzhou and Nanjing was also achieved. The 5 cities have now established active Stoma Clubs and it is exciting to see how the medical professionals are supporting ostomates in these cities. Ostomates are being trained as visitors.
Coloplast’s on the ground support organization has enabled the project to continue.
Sweden has just completed work in Zimbabwe aimed at establishing an ostomy association there and this report will be published on their (EOA) website I am sure.
The AtH project in India continues where many nurses are being trained to be stoma nurses. (Up to 1100 over 3 years) This is through an E-Learning programme for theory followed by practical training.

WCET
The president of WCET (Louise Lalande) has been working closely with IOA in India and China in delivering the AtH projects and in the planning of other future projects.

FINANCES
All the regions have had funds disbursed to them as per the decisions made in Frankfurt and capitation fees /dues are now paid directly to the regions by their member Associations.
Ria Smeijers is the new IOA C/C Treasurer.
Gene Zapf (former treasurer) is continuing the transition work required and a report on progress will be circulated soon to all member associations.

Kind Regards,