International Medical Development Symposium

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Last Update: 30/01/2013 17:42

J Batten R Leona

Richard Leona (left) with John Batten at the 2012 Symposium

The College has held its triennial International Medical Development Symposium since 2006. The symposium provides a unique opportunity to facilitate discussion between representatives from host nations and volunteer health professionals and organisations. It also aims to improve the relevance of medical assistance provided to developing nations across the Pacific and South East Asia region.

2012 Symposium: Global Burden of Surgical Disease

The Symposium was held over two days on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 September 2012 at the College Headquarters in Melbourne. This year the meeting was jointly convened and badged with the Australian Society of Anaesthetists, the Alliance for Surgery and Anaesthesia Presence, the Harvard-based humanitarian surgery initiative and the International Society of Surgery.

The theme for the Symposium was the Global Burden of Surgical Disease. Specialists and leaders in global surgery and anaesthesia attended from North America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. The aim was to bring together surgeons, anaesthetists and other specialists, donors and policy makers, to discuss the global challenges facing surgery and anaesthesia. The conference addressed such topics as the measuring of unmet surgical need, the safety of surgery in low and middle income countries, essential surgical care, and the role of organisations in training, support, advocacy, and research.

More than 150 delegates attended the Symposium to share ideas, forge partnerships and expand collaboration for improving the delivery of international development assistance. The conference also developed a Consensus Statement on Wound Management in Disaster Settings.

Visiting speakers included:

Dr Kelly McQueen, Alliance for Surgery and Anaesthesia Presence
Dr Stephen Bickler, University of California, San Diego
Lord Tangi o Vaonukonuka, Tonga
Professor Eddie McCaig, Fiji School of Medicine
Dr Angela Enright, World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists
Professor Allan Merry, University of Auckland
Dr Rich Gosselin, University of California, Berkley
Dr Wame Baravilala, United Nations Poluplation Fund's Pacific Sub Regional Office
Professor Eddy Rahardjo, Airlangga University, Surabaya
Professor Zaw Wai Soe, Myanmar Medical Association
Dr Manjul Joshipura, World Health Organisation
Mr Pedro Monzón Barata, Cuban Ambassador to Australia
Dr Douglas Pikacha, Solomon Islands

Note on Presentations

Some of the presentations below have been made available for viewing with the permission of the author(s). The College is not responsible for errors or consequences from reliance on information within these presentations. Statements represent the views of the author and are not necessarily the views of the College. Information is not intended to be advice or relied on in any particular circumstance.