Introduction to the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA) China Chapter
The International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA) was announced on September 11, 1988 at the 10th International Biliary Association in Nice, France. The World Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (WHPBA) was founded in Sweden in 1986, and in 1990, the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association and the World Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (WHPBA) convened a meeting of representatives of the Standing Committees of the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association and the World Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPBA) in Paris, France, at which a decision was made to combine the two associations under the name of International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPBA), which includes different specialties such as hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, gastroenterology, hepatology, imaging and pediatrics. The decision was approved and adopted at the First Plenary Session of the World Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association, held in Hong Kong on June 8, 1992, and at the First Plenary Session of the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association, held in San Diego, USA, on September 1 of the same year. The newly established International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association was formally proclaimed on May 31, 1994, at its first plenary session in Boston, USA.
The International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA) has three regional associations, namely, the Americas Association, the Asia (including the Pacific) Association, and the Europe (including Africa and the Middle East) Association. Currently, there are 192 members in the Americas, 371 members in Asia-Pacific and 331 members in Europe (including 26 members in Africa). Among the Asia-Pacific associations, Japan has the most members with 96, and China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) has 69. In addition, national chapters have been established in 23 countries: Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Korea, Poland, Scandinavia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The establishment of these chapters greatly promoted the communication between the hepatobiliary and pancreatic societies in the countries where the chapters were established and the international community, and promoted the development of the hepatobiliary and pancreatic societies in the countries where the chapters were established. China, as a large country, had not yet established such a chapter.
In August 2003, Academician Wu Mengchao and Prof. Chen Xiaoping were invited to India to participate in the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Asian Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (AHPA). During the meeting, Prof. Chen Xiaoping sought Academician Wu Mengchao’s opinion on the idea of setting up a Chinese branch of the AHPA, and Wu expressed his support. After returning to China, Prof. Chen sought the opinion of Academician Qiu Fazu on this matter, and Academician Qiu Fazu also expressed his support. After that, we obtained the agreement and support from the relevant persons in charge of the Chinese Surgical Association, such as Prof. Du Ruyu, Prof. Zhu Pre, Prof. Leng Xisheng, Prof. Zhao Yupei, and so on. On this basis, dozens of famous hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons (including Academician Huang Zhiqiang, Academician Tang Zhaoyou, and Academician Zheng Shusen), as well as specialists in gastroenterology, hepatology, and radiology, were further consulted, and all of them gave their positive support. As a result, in September 2003, we discussed with Academician Liu Yunyi, President of the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA), about the desire to establish a Chinese chapter of the IHPA in China, and then formally submitted the application to the Secretariat of the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA). In November of the same year, the International Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Association (IHPA) formally sent a letter approving the establishment of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) in China, with the name of The Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPA) in English. The name of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association was published on the website of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association soon after the official recognition.