The College of Medicine at the University of Babylon, in collaboration with the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad, held the Fourth Iraqi Conference on Echocardiography on Thursday, 17 September 2026. The conference was held under the theme “Cardiovascular Diseases Through the Window of Echocardiography: From Risk Factors to Clinical Decision-Making,” under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Muhannad Abbas Al-Shallah, Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Babylon, with the participation of a distinguished group of academics and specialist physicians from various Iraqi universities and healthcare institutions.
The conference was attended by Prof. Dr. Ameen Abdul-Hassan Manee Al-Alwany, Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad and Chairman of the Committee of Deans of Iraqi Medical Colleges, in his capacity as one of the conference co-chairs and a member of its Higher Committee. A distinguished group of faculty members from the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad also participated in the conference, contributing to the scientific sessions and specialized discussions. Their participation reflected the active presence of the University of Baghdad’s College of Medicine and its role in supporting national medical conferences and promoting the exchange of expertise among Iraqi medical colleges.
At the outset of his speech, Prof. Dr. Al-Alwany conveyed the greetings of Prof. Dr. Alaa Abdul-Hussein Al-Zughaybi, President of the University of Baghdad, to the leadership of the University of Babylon, the College of Medicine, and all faculty members and participants in the conference. He reaffirmed the University of Baghdad Presidency’s support for joint scientific initiatives and its commitment to expanding academic and institutional cooperation among Iraqi universities in ways that contribute to the advancement of medical education and the improvement of healthcare quality.
Prof. Dr. Al-Alwany emphasized that the conference was not merely a temporary scientific event, but rather represented a step toward establishing sustainable cooperation between the two colleges. He stated: “As Chairman of the Committee of Deans of Iraqi Medical Colleges, we want this conference to extend beyond the conclusion of its lectures and to lay the foundations for a broader institutional partnership between the Colleges of Medicine at the Universities of Baghdad and Babylon, in which training programs, research activities, and expertise are integrated, so that every achievement attained by either college becomes an asset to the other and a contribution to Iraqi medicine as a whole.”
The scientific program comprised four specialized sessions addressing the role of echocardiography in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and coronary artery syndromes, heart failure, valvular heart diseases, and the assessment of cardiovascular risk factors. The program also covered applications of three-dimensional imaging and artificial intelligence, pulmonary hypertension, and fetal echocardiography. In addition, practical training workshops were conducted in clinical echocardiography, fetal echocardiography, and four-dimensional imaging.
The conference also featured a commemorative gesture that reflected the depth of academic cooperation between the two universities. The Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Babylon and the Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad honored Prof. Dr. Ameen Ajil Al-Yasiri, President of the University of Babylon, in recognition of his support for scientific and academic endeavors and his contribution to the successful organization of the conference.
In turn, the President of the University of Babylon honored Prof. Dr. Ameen Abdul-Hassan Manee Al-Alwany, Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad, in recognition of his academic standing and his role in supporting medical education and strengthening cooperation among Iraqi medical colleges.
The conference was attended by a large number of university presidents, deans of medical colleges, academics, and specialist physicians, further strengthening scientific cooperation and contributing to the advancement of echocardiography education in Iraq. A number of top-performing students in the field of echocardiography were also honored in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement.
