Dr. Henry Ddungu Appointed to the World Thrombosis Day Scientific Steering Committee

Inaugural World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee Member to Represent Africa

CHAPEL HILL, NC, USA, March 30, 2016 – The World Thrombosis Day campaign, led by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), announces the appointment of Dr. Henry Ddungu, MB.CH.B., MMED, to its global scientific Steering Committee. Recognized on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day focuses attention on the often overlooked and misunderstood condition of thrombosis with the goal to increase global awareness and ultimately reduce death and disability caused by the condition. 

Dr. Ddungu is a hematology consultant at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala, Uganda. He is the first member to represent Africa on behalf of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee, which is comprised of leading international medical experts in the fields of hematology, thrombosis and hemostasis, vascular and general internal medicine, and public health from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Argentina, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Thailand. 

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Ddungu to the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee,” said Dr. Gary Raskob, dean of the College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and chairman of the Steering Committee. “Notably, his extensive experience in the medical field in Africa offers a unique and important perspective as the World Thrombosis Day campaign continues to expand and grow.” 

In addition to his work in Uganda, Dr. Ddungu has studied and held teaching positions internationally. His global experience, coupled with a deep understanding of the African healthcare landscape, highlights the World Thrombosis Day campaign’s commitment to representing nationalities across the world. 

Dr. Ddungu received his Master of Internal Medicine from Makerere University in Uganda. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate at the Makerere University School of Medicine.

For more information about Dr. Ddungu and the World Thrombosis Day campaign, visit www.worldthrombosisday.org.

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About World Thrombosis Day
Launched in 2014 and held annually on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day (WTD) aims to increase public, healthcare professional and health care systems’ awareness of thrombosis and, ultimately, to reduce deaths and disabilities from thromboembolic disease through a greater awareness of its causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and evidence-based prevention and treatment. WTD’s mission supports the World Health Assembly’s global target of reducing premature deaths by non-communicable disease by 25 percent by 2025, as well as the WHO global action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in the 2013-2020 timeframe. Unrestricted corporate grants to help support WTD come from founding global partner Bayer HealthCare; global partners are Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer Alliance, Daiichi Sankyo, Medtronic, Janssen and Portola Pharmaceuticals; and global patron Grifols. Visit www.worldthrombosisday.org for more information.

About the ISTH
Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading worldwide not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders. ISTH is an international professional membership organization with 4,000 clinicians, researchers and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 93 countries around the world. Among its highly regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs such as its Core Curriculum, research activities; meetings and congresses, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Visit ISTH online at www.isth.org.

Media Contact
Barbara Krolak, Relationship and Campaign Specialist
International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
+1 919-929-3807
Barbara_Krolak@isth.org