Neglected Cardiac Diseases

I am presently a clinical professor and head of the Department of Pediatric cardiology at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Amrita University, Cochin, India.
I have establish the pediatric heart program at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in 1998. Under my leadership, this program acquired global reputation in quality of clinical services, research and training. The pediatric heart program at AIMS, Cochin was awarded the and BMJ award for quality improvement (2014) for delivering outstanding clinical outcomes and has trained a substantial proportion of the national work force in pediatric cardiology. The department was also awarded the status of a center of excellence in research by ICMR. My chief research interests relate to epidemiology of pediatric heart disease, developing cost effective clinical strategies and population-based programs for pediatric cardiac care in low resource environments and training in pediatric cardiology
I am a member of the steering committee of the International Quality Improvement collaborative on congenital heart disease and I have served as a member of the Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease Committee (RFEKD) of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young of the American Heart Association (2017-2019). I have published over 250 indexed original and review articles and edited four major textbooks. I have partnered with the government on establishing a national/statewide program for care of children with heart defects. I played a central role in development and implementation of the Hridyam program of the Government of Kerala that enables timely treatment for every neonate, infant and child with congenital heart disease in the region through sustained advocacy. After the institution of the Hridyam program the infant mortality rate in Kerala has declined to 7 from 11 in Kerala and has been acknowledged in a peer reviewed publication in Global Heart. Drafted several policy statements for Rheumatic and Congenital Heart disease for leading global organisations such as the AHA and World Heart Federation.
I have received the following individual awards and recognition
1. The Sitaram Jaipuria Award for Excellence in Medicine and Healthcare in India ” for the year 2022. The Jury and Governing Council of the Awards recognized contributions in terms of academic, research, innovation, clinical care, policy, public health, institution building, and mentorship
2. Jérôme Lejeune Service Award, From Hearts of Joy International for exemplary work on care of children with Down Syndrome in May 2023
3. I was featured as a global leader in. paediatric and congenital cardiac care in a publication in “ Cardiology in the Young, a premier global journal for paediatric and congenital cardiac care in 2023
4. Tri-decennial Medical Teacher of Excellence Award, by the National Board of Examinations in the year 2012

Dr Ivan Mendoza
Biography
Co-Chair
Neglected CVD Expert Group.World Heart Federation 2025-2026

PRESENT POSITION AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
-Professor of Cardiology.Chief of Tropical Cardiology .Central University of Venezuela .2014-Present.
– Coordinator Infected Diseases Affecting the Heart. Inter Society of Cardiology. 2024-Present.
-Scientific Committee InterAmerican Heart Foundation
Chairman Tropical Cardiology Chapter.Venezuelan Society of Cardiology 2018-Present
Co-Chair Neglected CVD Expert Group.World Heart Federation 2025-2026
EDUCATION
-Magister.Advances in Cardiology.Catholic University of Murcia.Spain and The Spanish Society of Cardiology.Qualification 10/10 .2014-2017
-Magister Scientiarum Cardiology.Central University of Venezuela.
-Electrophysiology Fellowship. Best Fellow in Electrophisiology Dr Agustin Castellanos .University of Miami.Jackson Memorial Hospital.Miami .Florida.USA.
-Cardiology Fellowship.University Hospital.Central University of Venezuela.
-Medical Doctor.Central University of Venezuela.

PRESENT PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
-Fellow American College of Cardiology, Fellow InterAmerican College of Cardiology. Fellow European Society of Cardiology. Venezuelan Society of Cardiology(Past President)
-Honorary Member of the Spanish Society of Cardiology ,Argentinian ,Mexican ,Chilean , Colombian ,Paraguayan ,Dominican Republic Societies of Cardiology
Co-Chair Neglected CVD Expert Group.World Heart Federation 2025-2026

-HONORS AND AWARDS
-Best Abstract Clinical Case of the European Society of Cardiology.First Report of Heart Failure due to Zika Myocarditis.2017
-Best Abstract .Spanish Society of Cardiology .(3 Times)1-2016.Chikungunya Myocarditis 2-2018.A New Global Threat.Zika Myocarditis.3-2019 Arrhythmias in Chagas’ disease .
2014-Invited Speaker in several meetings including
-American College of Cardiology Last 2025. Putting Out Fires for Good: Longitudinal Care of Myocarditis
-American Heart Association Last 2024. Neglected Tropical Diseases in North America.
-European Society of Cardiology.Last 2015 .Tropical Heart Disease,
-InterAmerican Society of Cardiology.Last 2024. COVID-19 and The Heart .
-Invited Lecture Mayo Clinic.Rochester Minnesota 2018.
-Invited Lecture Mount Sinai Medical Center 1994
-Best Fellow Electrophysiology ,Dr Agustin Castellanos.Jackson Memorial Hospital.University of Miami.
-Best Cardiologist In Venezuela 2010.Academy of Medical Societies.Venezuela.
-Co-Chair Neglected CVD Expert Group.World Heart Federation 2025-2026
-Among the Best Cardiologist on Twitter Worldwide (Listly)
-Among the 5 Best abstracts selected by the American College of Cardiology for Media promotion during the ACC 2107 meeting. Myocarditis,Heart Failure and Arrhythmias in patients with Zika
PUBLICATION/PRESENTATION/RESEARCH
Authored of more than 500 articles in Medical Journal including the New England Journal of Medicine,European Heart Journal,Circulation,Journal American College of Cardiology,Global Heart ,European Journal of Heart Failure.

Andrea Beaton is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Cardiologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She is a founding member of the Rheumatic Heart Disease Research Collaborative in Uganda (RRCU) which has collaboratively published over 40 studies across the translational spectrum in RHD research. Dr. Beaton is currently the Center Director of an American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network (ADD-RHD) that is developing technology-enabled approaches to get more patients living with RHD onto secondary antibiotic prophylaxis. She also led the GOAL Trial, determining the impact of secondary antibiotic prophylaxis on latent RHD, and will lead the follow-up study of these patients, GOAL-Post. Dr. Beaton has multiple leadership positions in the American Heart Association (immediate past-chair of the Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease Committee, International Committee, Epidemiology and Statistics Committee) and World Health Organization (Chair, RHD Guideline Development Group).

I am a pediatric cardiologist and the Head of the Pediatric Cardiology Department at Complexo Hospitalar de Doenças Cardio-Pulmonares, Angola, where I lead clinical services and oversee medical training programs. With extensive experience in the management of congenital and acquired heart diseases in children, I am deeply committed to advancing cardiovascular care in Angola and across the African region.
Over the years, I have actively contributed to national and regional initiatives aimed at improving access to high-quality cardiac care. I played a pivotal role in implementing secondary prophylaxis programs for rheumatic heart disease and establishing congenital heart disease screening protocols using pulse oximetry in newborns. My advocacy has also led to collaborations with international organizations, promoting surgical and percutaneous treatment opportunities for pediatric patients in Angola.
My motivation for joining the World Heart Federation lies in the opportunity to promote equitable access to cardiovascular care and foster global partnerships to address neglected cardiovascular diseases. I believe that a collaborative and inclusive approach is essential to achieving WHF’s mission of cardiovascular health for everyone.
In addition to my clinical and leadership roles, I am a founding member and Secretary General of the Angolan Pediatric Cardiology Council and SG assistant for Southern Region at Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) to strengthen cardiology networks across the southern region. I have also organized and facilitated educational courses in ECG and echocardiography to build local capacity in cardiac diagnostics.
I am honored to contribute to the WHF’s mission and look forward to advancing initiatives that make a meaningful impact on global heart health.

Director Heart failure and Cardiac Transplant Program
Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia
Director of Scientific Council for Chagas Diseases
Interamerican Society of Cardiology SIAC

MD-PhD.
Graduate degree in Cardiology, (University of Buenos Aires), Clinical Investigation and Biostatistics (Argentine Medical Association), and Advanced Heart Failure/cardiomyopathies/pulmonary hypertension (Duke, UCA, Cleveland Clinic).

Professor, pharmacology department, University of Buenos Aires. Argentina.

2 books and >50 published papers in refereed journals and book chapters; >300 lectures & abstacts in CV congresses.

WHF emerging leaders program, 2018 cohort; director of SIAC´s emerging leaders program.

Research areas: Thrombosis, Antithrombotics, Atrial Fibrillation, Lipids/LLTs, Obesity and CVD, cardiometabolism, Heart Failure, Pulmonary Hypertension, Pulmonary Embolism, Chagas Disease, CV Pharmacology, Antiarrhythmics-QTc, Influenza, Covid-19 and CVDisease.

I have been working on the relation of infectious diseases and the heart, including influenza vaccine guidelines, neglected tropical diseases and the heart (NTD heart project), Chagas disease roadmap, Chagas and COVID-19, both at interamerican society of cardiology (SIAC) and WHF.

I´m based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and currently also working at Arg Society of Cardiology (SAC) on cardiometabolic health, and as medical advisor in CV drugs development.