Conferences and expos

Nuclear medicine congress for SA

15 August 2005

South Africa is to host the 2010 World Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB) - the federation's 10th congress and the first to be held in Africa.

Providing an arena for the exchange of knowledge in the highly specialised field of nuclear medicine and biology, the 2010 congress will involve nuclear medicine physicians, scientists, technologists, nuclear medicine related companies and pharmaceutical companies.

Table Mountain will serve as the backdrop for the four-day congress, with Cape Town as host city. Approximately 4 000 delegates are expected to attend.

Research by the Cape Town Convention Bureau indicates that the congress will contribute in the region of R30-million to the economy, based on a typical daily spend of R1 935 per delegate.

The South African Society of Nuclear Medicine will host the event, which will be managed by Thebe Conventions.

"Our aim will be to improve the profile of nuclear medicine not only in South Africa, but also on the rest of our continent," the society's Annare Ellmann said last November on returning from Beijing, where South Africa beat Italy in its bid to host the congress.

"We shall also encourage the attendance of delegates from developed and developing countries from over the world."

Thebe Tourism Group CEO Jeff Squire believes South Africa offers "the perfect blend of ingredients for hosting international events, as our country combines an efficient infrastructure with rich cultural diversity.

"The big convention centres that we now have in Sandton, Durban and Cape Town enables the country to effectively host major events of this nature, which we were not able to do in the past."

Cape Town Routes Unlimited CEO Noki Dube says Cape Town and the Western Cape, with an abundance of natural beauty, modern infrastructure and world-class medical and research institutions, is an ideal venue for the event.

"As the gateway to the province and the rest of South Africa, we believe that our city is the top leisure and conventions destination in the country, and are certain that delegates will find inspiration during their stay," says Dube.

The 9th World Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology takes place in Seoul, South Korea in October 2006.

SouthAfrica.info reporter