Symposium to formulate national surgical and anesthetic policy

“Access to Safe and affordable surgery and anesthesia” is the theme for the 2017 annual medical symposium hosted in Port Moresby.

Organizing committee chairman, Dr. Osborne Liko in his welcome speech said the scientific papers presented in this symposium will used by the surgical and anesthetic team to formulate a national surgical and anesthetic policy.

He said raising funds to host the symposium was a colossal task with regards to the downturn in economy and cash flow, as well as the challenges of the 2017 national elections and further thanked the efforts of the members to motivate sponsors who had a vision for the people to make this symposium happen.

He adds that the Scientific Committee of the 2017 Symposium were thrilled to receive high quality abstract documents from participants; both from international and national colleagues in PNG.

Being also the Chief Surgeon for PNG, Dr. Liko further added that he is honored to be able to share the vision of the Global surgical and anesthetic community, about the Global burden of surgical diseases.

Dr. Liko explains that in September 2015, United Nations member states adopted a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with a 2030 end date.

“A land report, called Global Surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare and economic development, makes the case that sustainable development will be hard to achieve unless the international health and development community addresses the enormous global burden of surgical conditions.”

He said as part of the Global Community, the Medical Society of PNG on behalf of the medical fraternity and the people of PNG is proud to announce the theme, which will be focused on making surgery and anesthesia one of the government’s priority as a way forward resolution, at the end of this symposium.

Author: 
Annette Kora