Introduction

Africa is the continent most afflicted by death from respiratory infection, and has an increasing problem with urban asthma and tobacco related disease. Many researchers in Africa feel isolated from sources of funding, potential collaborators and advocacy groups. The major international respiratory societies formed a Federation of International Respiratory Societies in 2002 in which Africa was not represented but it is hoped that a means of representation will be found.

Overall Aim

To promote productive collaboration between people engaged in the fight against respiratory disease in Africa and global partners.

Specific Aim

1. To create a website that is complete, easy to find and easy to use but not duplicating the substantial resources already made available by large international societies such as the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society.
2. To recruit a participant membership of clinicians, scientists and others working in Africa who will describe the burden or respiratory disease in Africa and then share their ideas, projects and needs with individuals and organisations capable of supporting work in Africa.
3. To engage the support of respiratory clinicians, scientists and others in other parts of the world with the assistance of the major respiratory societies.

Editors

Membership and medicine
Dr Stephen Gordon

Web Editor
Pelani Malange