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IOF CEO Philippe Halbout and Monica Caló, regional manager for Latin America, visited Brazil and Mexico to work collaboratively with local organisations and institutions on bone health care and the prevention of osteoporosis and fragility fractures, also within the framework of the Capture the Fracture^® (CTF) programme.

Dr Halbout's visit was an instrumental opportunity to see the advances and commitment to bone health care that health professionals, experts in the field, educational and health institutions, as well as other public, private and civil society organisations have in the region: "It was a great occasion to meet face to face with our allies to work, exchange experiences and build strategies that allowed IOF to position itself as an open organisation willing to work collaboratively on initiatives to promote bone health care.”  

Dr Halbout participated in different activities together with local experts and partner organisations in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Mexico. 

While in Rio de Janeiro he attended the following meetings in the framework of the 10th BRADOO Congress organised by ABRASSO, a full-member society of the IOF in Brazil:  

• IOF-ESCEO Symposium: ‘Management of patients at very high risk of osteoporotic fractures by sequential treatments’, coordinated by Dr. Halbout and with the presence as speakers of Prof. Jean-Yves Reginster and Prof. John Kanis.
• The second edition of the FLS Café Brazil organised by FLS mentors from Brazil: Dr Karina Tutiya, Dr Andre Manoel Inacio and Dr Luiz Tikle Viera. More than 15 Brazilian FLS coordinators who are part of the Best Practice Map of the global Capture The Fracture^® programme attended the meeting where they discussed the common challenges they face in managing their FLS such as patient identification, multidisciplinary training and education, and database. Dr Halbout expressed IOF's commitment to continue to encourage the development of FLSs in Brazil and outlined the achievements of the CTF programme in Brazil and the resources and tools available to help FLSs become sustainable and more effective.

During their visit to Mexico City, Dr Halbout and Ms. Caló held working meetings with different key stakeholders to change the perception of the management of osteoporosis in the field of public health in order to promote comprehensive care focused on the patient. At the same time, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Patricia Clark, IOF Board member and influential Key Opinion Leader in the region, meetings were organized with the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the National University of Mexico (UNAM), Dr. German Fajardo Dolci, and Dr. Humberto Medina Chavez and Dr Claudia Martinez, officials of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). The objective of these meetings was to advance joint projects aimed at continuing medical education for students, young professionals, medical specialists and health professionals interested in bone health.  

At the end of his visit Dr Halbout emphasised the successful collaboration between IOF and stakeholders in the region involved in bone health, stating:

 "We must understand the challenges and find joint solutions to prevent osteoporosis and fragility fractures, with a focus on IOF's mission for a world without osteoporotic fractures where healthy mobility is a reality for all.”