The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Club of the Philippines is an aggrupation of gastroenterologists, surgeons, pathologists, pediatricians, radiologists, nurses and nutritionists who have special interests in the study of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and the care of IBD patients. It was founded in 1990 by Prof. Jose D. Sollano, Jr, MD of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines.
Borne out of the curiosity to probe what was then a well-entrenched belief that IBD may not be a disease found in Filipinos, a small enthusiastic group of gastroenterologists, pathologists and surgeons started regular conferences in the late 1980s to share clinical experiences on conditions which fit the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two types of IBD.
Since 1990, these academic meetings assumed a regular quarterly schedule when the club was formally organized. The audience soon expanded to include Gastroenterology Fellows-in-training from Metro Manila and later, Cebu, as well as, pediatricians and radiologists, nurses, nutritionists, etc.. Today, these conferences serve as the most important academic platform for learning and understanding IBD during the formative years of the trainees of the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG) and the Philippine Society of Digestive Endoscopy (PSDE).
In 2018, the IBD Club, together with PSG and PSDE, hosted the 3rd Asia Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) IBD Clinical Forum, which brought together several world-renowned IBD experts to the country.
In 2019, in partnership with IBD patients, the Crohn’s and Colitis Philippines (C&Cph) was organized. It is a national patient support group that enables the doctors and patients to exchange valuable IBD information, as well as, extend psychological and emotional care so that a more expansive care are offered to patients during their challenging journey with IBD.
At present, the IBD Philippines conducts the IBD Champions’ & Trainors’ Forum. This program is a formidable and influential academic activity that updates gastroenterology colleagues on the current advancements in the diagnosis and comprehensive care of IBD patients. Together with the Philippine Society of Pathologists, electronic interactive Workshops have been conducted throughout the country to spread the enthusiasm and enhance the pathologists’ expertise on the microscopic diagnosis of IBD. Similar continuing medical education (CME) activities exclusively with surgeons and with radiologists are also rolling out soon.
This IBD Website is another platform which is designed to further address other unmet needs in the understanding and care of IBD in the country.