Nephrologists of the Balkan countries meet across political frontiers and war fronts—an
example to politicians!—F. Valderràbano
The Balkan Cities Association of Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation and Artificial
Organs (BANTAO) was born in Ohrid (Figure 1), Republic of Macedonia, on 9 October
1993 at the first Congress of the Macedonian Society of Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation
and Artificial Organs (MSNDTAO) [1].
Fig. 1.
Ohrid, R. Macedonia.
At that very moment, bloody wars raged in former Yugoslavia. Fratricide, destruction
and cruelty were the norm. Nevertheless, in spite of the hatred and political intrigue,
Balkan nephrologists were willing to cooperate with one another. The war in Yugoslavia
created hate among people and between the newly established countries. There were
even problems with the recognition of the names of the new countries. To overcome
this, the nephrologists in the Balkans decided to apply the ancient principle of using
the names of the cities, instead of countries, in founding BANTAO (Figure 2). So it
came into being as the Balkan Cities Association of Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation
and Artificial Organs. The idea was to create a nephrology association from the Balkan
cities and form a collaboration across the iron gates of borders and beyond the perverse
and bloody political nationalistic ideology.
Fig. 2.
Balkan countries after separation of the Former Yugoslavia.
The main goal of BANTAO was to promote scientific and technical cooperation for renal
diseases and artificial organs among cities of the Balkan Peninsula and with the international
nephrology community. It was important to create opportunities for the exchange of
expert experience and knowledge and to take part in collaborative projects. This was
a rare opportunity to transcend divisions, obstructions and distrust in this unfortunate
and turbulent part of Europe.
A task force was formed from representatives of different cities from the Balkans:
S. Kodra (Tirana), D. Nenov (Varna), Z. Kirjakov (Sofia), Gj. Masin (Skopje), M. Polenakovic
(Skopje), F. Akcicek (Izmir), E.J. Dorhout Mess (Izmir), Lj. Djukanovic (Belgrade),
A. Radmilovic (Belgrade) and S. Strahinjic (Nis).
Momir H. Polenakovic, President of the MSNDTAO, was elected chairman of this task
force. Some Western European nephrologists (H. Klinkman, J. Vienken, E.J. Dorhout
Mees, D. Falkenhagen and P. Ivanovich), the European Society of Artificial Organs
(ESAO) and the International Faculty for Artificial Organs (IFAO) have greatly assisted
our initial efforts to establish the BANTAO.
The first BANTAO Congress was held in Varna, Bulgaria from 22 to 24 September 1995
(when the Balkan wars were still at their height) under the presidency of D. Nenov
(Varna). The congress in Varna was successful, with >80 papers presented by nephrologists
from the Balkans and other European cities. The first BANTAO Congress had a positive
impact on the nephrology community in Europe.
Our Spanish colleague, the late F. Valderràbano, published a congress report [2]:
‘Nephrologists of the Balkan countries meet across political frontiers and war fronts—an
example to politicians! BANTAO: a new European medical association overcomes political
obstacles. This is an extraordinary initiative of nephrologists working in cities
throughout the Balkan countries who have been able to create a scientific association
and to organize its first congress, despite the boundaries of war, the rupture of
international relations and other serious political problems which emerged in the
Balkan countries after the disappearance of the former Republic of Yugoslavia. The
main goal of BANTAO is to promote scientific and technical cooperation in the field
of renal diseases and artificial organs between the Balkan cities. This goal will
be achieved not only through a periodical congress, but also through lecturer exchange,
fellowship exchange, scientific research methods exchange, joint meetings and courses,
publications and cooperation in the field of renal transplant. BANTAO wants to work
closely with other international societies and especially with EDTA-ERA. BANTAO represents
an extraordinary initiative and should receive both scientific and economic support
from the EDTA-ERA. The exceptional effort of collaboration shown by our Balkan colleagues,
who have been able to carry out scientific activities in extremely adverse human conditions,
is an example to the European nephrological community, which should not hesitate to
offer all possible help to this new association’.
As Valderràbano suggested, ERA-EDTA (four supported CME courses) and also ISN (two
events) have given encouragement and practical help to the BANTAO congresses. Since
that first congress in 1995, BANTAO congresses have been held every 1–2 years. The
congresses have been held in nine different cities, located in six different countries
of the modern Balkans (Varna, Struga, Belgrade, Ismir, Thessaloniki, Ohrid, Antalya,
Chalkidiki, Timisoara) [3].
The recent 11th BANTAO Congress was held from 26 to 29 September 2013 in Timisoara
(Romania), on the 20th anniversary of the founding of BANTAO. The president of the
congress was A. Schiller. An ERA-EDTA CME programme on kidney transplantation was
held as a pre-congress course and Central and Eastern Europe regional workshop of
ISN Global Outreach programme during the congress. At the congress, M. Polenakovic,
A. Basci, Lj. Dukanovic, D. Nenov and Ch. Stathakis received recognition as founders
of BANTAO. J. Feehally, immediate past-president of the ISN, presented M. Polenakovic
with the newly established ISN Pioneering Award for his contribution to the development
of nephrology in Eastern and Central Europe (Figure 3).
Fig. 3.
J. Feehally (right), immediate past-president of the ISN, is presenting M. Polenakovic
(middle) with the newly established ISN Pioneering Award for his contribution to the
development of nephrology in Eastern and Central Europe, laudation by G. Spasovski
(left).
Another milestone in the life of BANTAO was the appearance of the BANTAO journal in
2003, which has been published biannually since then [4]. In the past 10 years there
have been 21 editions of the journal and three supplements reporting BANTAO congresses.
The editors of the journal past and present are: 2003–2005 (Dimitar Nenov); 2005–2009
(Ali Basci); 2009– (Goce Spasovski). To date 345 papers have been published. The BANTAO
journal is registered on EBSCO, DOAJ, SCOPUS, and has become a strong ‘glue’ among
nephrologists from the Balkan cities.
Despite the difficulties imposed by devastating wars and catastrophic earthquakes,
BANTAO has flourished through the passion and commitment of nephrologists to their
patients and to renal science [5]. The BANTAO Congress has been established as the
major scientific and institutional forum for Balkan nephrologists, with its own journal,
indicating our will to communicate, to collaborate, to get to know each other, and
to share our difficulties and our successes.
What should BANTAO do in future?
Improve further cooperation between the nephrologists and physicians from other related
medical specialties from the Balkan cities and the colleagues from Europe and the
world.
Improve basic and clinical education and research in nephrology in the region.
Discover, treat and register patients with CKD.
Ensure early diagnose of diabetes mellitus and hypertension and halt or delay progression
to end-stage renal disease.
Establish registries for renal biopsy and for rare renal diseases.
Improve renal transplantation and establish a Balkan transplant network, connecting
with other renal transplant networks in Europe and the world.
Improve the fight against infections (especially against hepatitis C).
Organize joint clinical trials.
Further improve the quality of the BANTAO journal.
In summary, the BANTAO congresses and the BANTAO journal have succeeded in elevating
nephrology knowledge [6] and thus increased the standards of nephrology patient care
throughout the Balkans. Standing above the divisive forces of politics, language and
war, BANTAO gives a living example that collaboration and humility are feasible in
times of maddening destruction, and are transformative.
Conflict of interest statement
None declared.