PERINATAL MEDICINE EUROPEAN CONGRESS OPENS IN ZAGREB

( Editorial: --> 0316 ) ZAGREB, June 10 (Hina) - Croatian Health Minister Zeljko Reiner Wednesday opened the 16th European congress of perinatal medicine, which gathers about 2,000 doctors from 60 countries. Reiner wished success in the work of the congress on behalf of patron Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. This is one of the biggest conferences to take place in Croatia in the last seven years, the Minister said. Perinatal medicine has been a special field in medicine for the last 30 years, and its task is care for the newborn baby and the pregnant woman, birth and the first week in the newborn baby's life. The Health Minister emphasised that mothers and their babies would continue to have the state's support. According to Asim Kurjak, the congress will focus on care for low- weight babies. In four days, foreign and domestic experts will present 560 reports. Among 18 lectures, two will be from Croatia, by Ivica Kostovic and Kurjak. The first European handbook on perinatal medicine, consisting of two 1,000-page tomes, will also be presented at this year's congress. Edited by Kurjak, it is the work of 126 experts from 28 countries. (hina) ha 102048 MET jun 98