18TH ASIA-PACIFIC MILITARY MEDICINE CONFERENCE
Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean officiated at the opening ceremony of the 18th Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference (APMMC) at Shangri-La Hotel this morning. The conference, which ends on 18 April, is co-hosted by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC). The APMMC is a forum for military medical professionals in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss scientific and military medical issues, developments and cooperation. Over 600 military medical professionals from more than 30 Asia-Pacific countries are attending this year's conference.
In his opening address, Minister Teo highlighted the importance of the conference in helping to build understanding and lay the foundation for countries and armed forces to work together in response to any future crisis. Recounting Singapore's experience in the SARS outbreak in 2003 and the SAF's response to the Tsunami disaster in 2004, Minister Teo emphasised that close cooperation between medical and health agencies domestically as well as externally was critical in carrying out relief operations effectively. Other principal speakers who addressed the conference today included Consultant to MINDEF Prof Lui Pao Chuen; SAF Chief Medical Corps Rear-Admiral (DR) John Wong; and Commanding General Pacific Regional Medical Command and Tripler Army Medical Center, Brigadier-General Steve Jones.
The theme for this year's conference, "Learning from the Past, Transforming Medical Teams for the Future", aims to explore the challenges, as well as current and emerging threats faced by military medicine professionals. A wide range of topics will be discussed over the next few days including Combat Medicine and Trauma, Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Military Psychiatry, Aviation Medicine, Naval & Underwater Medicine and Technological Advances in Combat Casualty Care.
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