World Congress on Healthy Ageing is coming to Johannesburg

© Helder Almeida - Fotolia.com

The organisers of the second World Congress on Healthy Ageing (WCHA), represented by GM Lorin Bowen, will market the congress to potential delegates and participants at the '2015 Aging in America' conference in Chicago this week.

Justin Hawes, Director of the Healthy Ageing Society of Africa (HASOA) says the entire international healthy ageing community will descend on South Africa for the congress, the first of its kind to be held on the African continent. "This week in Chicago, we will engage with healthy ageing professionals from across the world, introducing our high level world congress programme to them, as well as Johannesburg and South Africa as an exciting congress destination."

This marketing effort is supported by the South Africa National Convention Bureau, which recognises that the world congress will not only bring significant revenue into South Africa, but also go a long way in spreading the word about the benefits of hosting such a major international event in the country.

Hawes says the five themes of the world congress - mind, body, spirit, socio-community and future medicine encapsulate all aspects related to healthy ageing and the programme has been designed accordingly.

Speakers confirmed for the World Congress on Healthy Ageing include:

• Dr Yen Choo, molecular biologist and member of the UK Stem Cell Steering Committee
  
• Prof Suresh Rattan, head of the Laboratory of Cellular Ageing of the Department of Molecular Biology at the Aarhus University in Denmark
  
• Prof Bradley Wilcox, as well-known physician-investigator in Geriatrics
  
• Prof Melvyn Freeman, Chief Director for Non-Communicable Diseases at the National Department of Health
  
• Prof Sean Davison of the Department of Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape

In addition to members of the public with an interest in specific healthy ageing issues, people who will benefit from the event include medical and healthcare professionals, academics, caregivers, legislators, community service personnel, city planners and people interested in the science of healthy ageing.

The congress is supported by the City of Johannesburg, Dementia SA, the South African Society of Psychiatrists, Alzheimer's South Africa, the Southern African Neurological Rehabilitation Association and the Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society.

For more information, go to www.wcha2015.com.