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Asian Region
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From our president After the congress in Iowa City, we were suddenly and surprisingly flooded with a whole range of personal and organisational changes. The warning was pronounced again, hasting the endeavor for a renewal; we tested and tried to form the answer, but our pace was slower than that time demanded. Therefore in the life of the Association a hard period stands in front of us, needing basic changes which build on the present situation and have the ability of renewal. We have to find the right way of reforming the Association and its leadership. We have to keep on following the way which we started in Salt Lake City, opening towards the problems of the occupational health and primary health care in the villages as communities. We have to widen our inter disciplinary base and our way of approach, keeping everything that is good, that works. When telecommunication -- the interact -- provides a new quality of relations and the exchange of information, an organisation based on nothing but congresses has barely a reason for existence. The new system of relationships -- work teams, committees -- provides the modern way of regional ac6vity. Wide, periodically person renewing, active leading, even more contribution to the common concern will be needed. We have to acknowledge that a range of other scientific associations, organisations, national and regional groups operate on our working field. Looking for the ways of co-operation is inevitable not only for our association, but for the sake of the health of the rural people. Therefore we call and wait everybody to P6es, in May 2000. The XIVth Congress and the General Assembly of our Association have to shoulder these missions. We can set out into the new millennium with a renewed leadership, up-to-date Statutes and the Declaration of P6cs emphasising the necessity and ways of co-operation. Regarding the traditions of the IAAMRH, devotional work of our predecessors and humane aims of our Association, 1 am convinced that our work will be crowned with success. From Our Association Presidential Meeting Held in Poland In accordance with a proposal from the IAAMRH President, Prof. Jeno Tenyi, a presidential meeting was held at the Rehabilitation and Training Centre of the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS) in Teresin, Poland, on May 25-26, 1999. This proposal was made in India and confirmed in Loni, also in India, on the occasion of the International Conference on Woman and Child at the Loni Rural Medical College in November 1998. The meeting was attended by Jeno Tenyi (Hungary), Horst Huyoff (Germany), Andrzej Kosiniak-Kamysz (Poland), Marek Holubicki (Poland), Jacek Kassakowsid (Poland), Kazimierz Patkowski (Poland), Jerzy Zagorski (Poland), Shosui Matsushima (Japan), Kazumi Ichikawa (Japan) and Shinichiro Yoshimoto (Japan). After welcoming participants from outside Poland, Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz introduced the other Polish delegates, including Dr. Marek Holubicki, KRUS vice president; Dr. Jacek Kossakowski; Mr. Kazimierz Patokowski, director of the KRUS Organising and Law Department; Dr. Henryk Rafalski, professor at the Medical University of Lodz and Dr. Jerzy Zagorski, professor at the Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin, and Mrs. Anna Zagorska.. Then, Dr. Kosiniak-Kainysz apologised for the delay in responding to the Executive Board's call on the Polish colleagues to take over the Secretary at and the presidency of the European Chapter. "This year, we had complete organisational changes in Poland, a new health care system was introduced and the national division of administration was changed," he said. The Polish delegate added that KRUS was also in trouble with mounting pressure on raises in contributions from farmers, noting that it was also a time when a fight had to be put up for the creation of a health care institution within KRUS. It was thought that this institution would come in existence because there was a bill for it, but unfortunately it was not approved, disabling KRUS to have this institution. Apart from all his social functions and his positions related to community service in KRUS and the Polish Association of Agricultural Medicine (PAAM), he said he himself is a hospital director, making it essential for him to start fighting for its survival in January this year, but assured that PAAM is working. On May 21, the PAAM Executive Board met in Krakow, he pointed out when one of the main topics concerned the Presidential Meeting. The Institute of Agricultural Medic in Lublin is functioning and the cathedrals of internal diseases and agricultural medicine in his hospital are also functioning well, he added. Dr. Kosiniak Karnysz noted that another main topic was how to provide health care to farmers in such changing circumstances as at the present. "I am more strongly convinced of the necessity of keeping IAA~ and PAAM in existence is even than ever before," he said, expressing his hope that the discussions at the Presidential Meeting would also go forward in that direction. XIV Congress Given the chair, Prof. Tenyi, acting as IAAMRH president, thanked the Polish colleagues for all the arrangements that had been made for the Presidential Meeting. Noting that the Executive Board met in India last year under the provisions of the Statutes which called on it to meet once every year, but that no scientific conferences of the kind at which an annual Executive Board could be simultaneously held, are scheduled for this year, the President said that it was considered advisable to hold a meeting, even though smaller in scale, with the Asian Congress of Agricultural Medicine and Rural in Guangzhou, China, next November and the XIV International Congress of Agricultural Medicine and Rural Health in Pecs, Hungary, in May in mind. He added that this decision, made in India, called on the President, President-elect, Vice President Prof. Hoglund, European Chapter President Prof. Huyoff, Acting Secretary General Dr. Matushirna and Nomination Committee President Prof. Kaj Husnian to attend the Presidential Meeting. The time had been so short that all those members were unable to attend it. Prof. T6nyi admitted that no formal major decisions could be made at the Presidential Meeting, which was not attended by all the executives. "I am convinced," the President said, "that agricultural medicine is in good hands and developing and therefore has a promising future," hoping that the Association could depend on its Polish colleagues when it comes to Europe. Once again, he expressed many thanks to the Polish delegation for the hospitality and kindness with which they have paved the way for opening of the Presidential Meeting. Then, he began to furnish a report about preparations for the XIV International Congress which will be held under the theme of "Co-operation and Collaboration for the Health of Rural Communities" in Pecs next year. He added that this topic has been favourably accepted by many international organisations. The President noted that he has written the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, who described the topic in his reply as a very important one for the promotion of rural people's health. Another supporting organisation is the International Labor Office, said Prof. Tenyi, thanking Prof. Hoglund for all he has done in paying the way for the participation of some ILO representative in the Pees congress. The President also said that he has contacted the International Organisation of Migration, which is also interested in the forthcoming international congress, focusing on the health of migrant workers in agriculture. Describing one of the world's largest medical organisations in the world, he said that the World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (WONCA) hopes to establish ties, both formal and informal, with our association, has expressed its desire to take part in the Pecs meeting. He added that our organisation is trying to establish ties with the International Union of Health Education and Promotion. Domestically, the Pecs congress is supported by three Hungarian ministries -- the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development and the Ministry of Environmental Protection -- and the representatives of those government institutions are members of the Organising Committee for the congress, Prof. Tenyi said. He is hoping their ministers will attend the opening ceremony. The Association of Family Practitioners in Villages (APPY) and the national associations of occupational health, public health and social medicines will also send in delegates to the Organising Committee, he pointed out, adding that 10,000 copies of the First Announcement have been distributed around the world with responses already coming in from the Philippines, Australia, the Ukraine, Germany and other countries with few responses from Latin America and Africa. Then he presented the draft Second Announcement on the forthcoming Pecs congress, stating that the Opening Ceremony will begin on the late morning of May 25 to enable participants to depart Budapest for Pecs earlier in the morning by train. On the eve of May 24, the organising committee will host a concert in the Pecs cathedral or a dinner in a local champagne plant, he said, adding that he would hold a Bureau meeting, pending consent from Bureau members, in the Senators' Room of the Medical University of Pecs on May 24 at 11 a.m., followed by a dinner to be given at 1 or 2 p.m. in their honour by the Minister of Agriculture or the Minister of Health. At the Opening Ceremony, speeches will be given by the Congress President, the represent- atives of international organisations, those of the Hungarian Government and the Mayor of Pecs. They will be simultaneously translated into English, Prof. Tenyi said, before the Plenary Session is opened. A reception will be held at the Pecs Medical University in the evening. He added that the General Assembly will be held at Lecture Room IH in the Medical University of Pecs on May 26 at 3 p.m., which will be followed by an entertainment program in a nearby village later in the evening. The congress will come to an end with a closing ceremony on May 27, at which the achievements in the scientific session will be summarised and a declaration made. He pointed out that the Second Announcement includes optional programs, programs for accompanying persons, and a post-Congress program which includes a trip to Vienna, Austria, or a trip to the Czech capital of Prague via the Hungarian lake of Balaton, the realization of which depends on the number and interest of participants. Prof. Tenyi said that the Organising Committee will accept registrations and payments till the end of March next year with the registration fee set at $350 for an IAAMRH member before November or $400 in December and subsequent months. The registration fee includes participation in the scientific session, three lunches, receptions, an excursion and local transport, among others. He added that bus services will be available from Budapest Airport to Pecs, adding that it is also possible to move to Pecs by train. Pecs Declaration In order to step up the interest and attractiveness of our aims, Prof. Huyoff said that he would be ready to render assistance in preparing a short declaration on rural health which enumerates proposals and solutions "in a very professional manner." he added that he proposed to do so with Dr. Toshikazu Wakatsuki (honorary IAAMRH President) and Dr. Matsushima, among others, who are already full-time pensioners, opening what he termed a preconference debate. Prof. Huyoff said that the basic paper thus prepared could be circulated among Association members. The panel could include the President, the Honorary Presidents who have stopped working for the Association, he said, adding that the paper could also be circulated outside it. Regarding the contents of the declaration, he said that there would be two aspects. In the first aspect, what primary-health-care needs there would be for rural populations at the beginning of the next century, cautioning that the needs might be different between Poland and, say, Germany and between the developed and the developing countries, in particular. The second aspect which concerns appropriate approaches would also be of interest to the parties concerned. Asked by Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz if the accommodation-minus registration fee of $350 for the Pecs congress is correct, Prof. T6nyi said yes, add- ing that the accommodation fees might go down, should there be contributions for the congress but that he could not speak for the official travel agency, which after all is a profit-making business. "Talking about what Prof. Huyoff mentioned," Dr. Kosiniak-Karnysz said, "I think it very important to discuss health care issues in countries which are going through transition in Europe." He added that countries in the region are in a similar situation and said, "We are also aware of problems about the delivery of primary health care in Western Europe, including France. The Polish doctor emphasised that it is important to address questions about the its delivery to rural populations, who are suffering from drops in their in- comes. "Of course, it is difficult to impose on governments and agencies the solutions we can work out, as they have their own ideas, but we can answer the question as to whether we should prefer a health care system which includes social security for farmers." As farming populations always need financing from the state budget, because the prices of their products fall down on international markets, he said, pointing out that society does not understand the necessity of financing the work of farmers and coming out with a social security system for them like in Poland. "Probably only 3% of the national population can understand why farmers should have access to social security in conditions different from other social workers," he added. "I think the situation looks similar in Hungary but do not know how it looks in former East Germany but we YAII be glad to discuss about the experiences gained by other countries at the Pecs congress." Noting that the Second Announcement has no reference to the presentation of papers, Mr. lchikawa asked if he was correct when he said that the deadline for the presentation of abstracts was set on the last day of March next year, the President gave an affirmative answer. The President expressed his appreciation to Prof. Huyoff for his suggesfion that a pre-congress debate be held to work out the draft of the Pecs Declaration before the summer vacation. Prof. T6nyi asked if Mr. Maksymilian Delekta, president of the Agricultural Social Fund in Warsaw and his colleagues could work out a lecture on farmers and social security for the forthcoming congress, in which he hoped delegates from several insurance companies could participate. Next Secretary General After a coffee break, Dr. Matsushima put the nomination of the new Secretary General and the transfer of the Secretariat on the agenda. He invited the attention of participants to the statements written on Page 4 to Page 6 of the Minutes of the 1998 Bureau Meeting. He said that Dr. Wakatsuki, who had served as secretary general for many years, retired on the occasion of the Iowa congress in 1997 for no other reasons than his own health. "His resignation so suddenly came that there was not time enough to nominate his successor. It was decided at the Bureau meeting there that I serve as acting secretary general till the Pecs congress, but I will also have to resign from the post by reason of health," he added, asking the participants to nominate someone for the Secretary General and decide the new site of the Secretariat." Dr. Matsushima stressed that the Secretariat should be located at the institution to which the new Secretary General belongs. Noting that the Secretariat has remained in Japan for so many years that he thought it better to move it to some country in Europe. "One of the reasons is," he added, "that the Secretariat holds itself responsible for the fact that the Association's activities have been somewhat inactive because it has been located in Japan." He said that it is high time for the Secretariat to be located once again in Europe to reactivate the Association's activities." The most active of a U European countries are those in former Eastern Europe, Dr. Matsushima added, as far as agricultural and rural health are concerned. The Acting Secretary General said he personally wished some Polish colleague to take over the secretary general ship with the Secretariat placed in his institution. "There are three reasons why 1 personally recommend Poland. One is that Poland is situated in Central Europe, another is that Poland is well organised in the sector of agricultural medicine, as demonstrated by the active role played by the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS) and the remarkable achievements in this milieu by the Lublin Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Dr. Matsushima added. Then it is to be noted, he added, that Poland has a national association of agricultural medicine. A third one concerns the fact that the Secretariat has to continue to edit and publish the Association's Journal on a regular basis, he said, noting that the Lublin Institute of Agricultural Medicine pub- lishes its oumal under the title of something like rural and environmental health. In response, to Dr. Matsushima, Dr. Kosiniak- Kamysz said he considers it a great honor that "you, representing one of the world's biggest 9 countries, offer Poland to take the position of secretary general" with the Secretariat moved in from Japan. Though Prof. Rafalski and Prof. Zagorski have been active in the Association, Poland, which has just recently become a national member, has yet to organize a national chapter, he said, adding that he considers Dr. Matsushima's offer as a great honor. "I must say 1 am surprised at your offer and must state that we are not prepared at the moment to take such a responsibility." The Polish delegate pointed out that the executive board of the Polish Association of Agricultural Medicine had decided that if the Polish are going to take any position in LAAMM, it should be connected with the Lublin Institute of Agricultural Medicine. Cooperation among Lublin, KRUS and his hospital is very good, he said, pointing out that Lublin "had, has and will have the priority." The Polish must answer the question of what the sources of financing are going to be, he added. "Obviously, without financial support from KRUS, we would not be able to assume the responsibilities, so that whether KRUS will accept the idea of financing IAA~ will be the basis for our decision. The issue requires our internal discussion and agreement." The second problem is, Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz said, that he himself, his colleagues and KRUS executives must be aware of the financial condi- flons of the IAAMRH Secretariat and its financial sources. "That's my first impression; probably my colleagues have some more questions, but I wish to thank you once again for the honourable offer. I believe that one of the deciding factors which led you to make this offer is the friendliness of Dr. Wakatsuki, to whom I wish to convey my kind regards," Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz remarked. After thanking Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz for his remarks, Dr. Matsushima said he is aware that it is naturally difficult to get an immediate reply from the Polish on the take over of the Secretary Generalship and the Secretariat. He said he expects the Polish to explore the possibility in a forward-looking stance. Prof. Tenyi said the life of the Association is in need of fresh air, adding that that is why the Executive Board has introduced a system that a President-elect serves over a period of three years before he assumed the Association's presidency. "The question posed now is whether we should adopt such a system for the post of secretary general to have him hold himself responsible for its continuity. We do not have to make an immediate decision here, and it could be made at the General Assembly in Pecs next year. Another question that has yet to be solved is who is going to become president of the European Chapter. "Those questions are very important for the life of the Association. Nobody intends to impose a solution on the Polish side. Whoever is to assume the presidency or secretary generalship will preferably has to be one who is well versed in the English language. 1 hope that the Polish will come out with a final decision in three, or five weeks on whether they will go in for the take over of the secretary generalship and the secretariat." Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz said that three weeks is too short a period, "I must say that Poland does not want to take over the whole IAAMRH, because the Association would not be international anymore, if all its agendas were Polish. Our country has come close to the European Union but we cannot afford to finance IAAMRH. At the moment, the problem is our legal status. Things which could be accomplished a year ago cannot be accomplished now, because the location of an international organisation in the current Polish system is difficult and is not clearly and legally defined. "If an organisation is going to have any success, it must be based on institutions from the agricultural sector; in Poland, the only serious institution would be the agricultural social insurance scheme. It must be based on serious scientific authorities; otherwise, the Association won't have the proper position in Poland. That is why the executive board of the Polish Association of Agricultural Medicine has appointed the Lublin Institute. " From the point of view of KRUS, which is strongly based on social insurance, Dr. Marek Holubicki said he wished to give some suggestions, describing Dr. Matsushima's offers as a "very honourable' one, but said it is necessary to address some questions. Dr. Holubicki said that he has not been working in KRUS for a long time but that, "from today's discussion," he can see IAAMRH is visibly in a crisis at the moment, pointing out that it needs something like what the Polish call "fresh blood." "Through those years, he said, "many things have changed, and some countries which used to be IAAMRH members have quitted. Why?" He said he can see what IAAMM lacks is the "root place," from which it could act world wide and which could provide strength, co-ordination and ideas in WHO. "Speaking from the Polish point of view, many things have changed. One of them is our attitude toward the creation of new organisations. We are more careful as well as we strive for perfectionism. Before we could do something, we need quality. Talking about the relationships between KRUS and the Lublin Institute, I must say one thing : we need more time to make such a decision. We must first "research the market," to use the business language, as we need quality." Dr. Holubicki added that it could be useful to take several issues into consideration. "For example, it is my personal opinion -- correct me if 1 am wrong -- maybe we should place the Secretariat in some Asian country other than Japan and give Poland an opportunity to found a European Secretariat. It would be a different thing to take over an existing institution, such as the world Secretariat and a create something brand new. I must stress that we are ready to take the offer into consideration for a careful analysis. We will come out with a decision before the Asian congress [in Gunagzhou, China]." Prof. Tenyi said it would be too late, as the Asian congress is scheduled for November this year, adding that the Bureau will not hold a meeting during the Asian congress. Then the idea is, Dr. Holubicki said, to come out with a decision by the end of September without relevance to the Asian congress and arrive at a solution at the Pecs congress. Prof. Huyoff gave a briefing on how LAA~ has developed since it was founded by Prof Jean Vacher of France in 1961, noting that its activities were evolved mainly in Europe in its early phase, such as France, Poland, Norway and former Czechoslovakia. Later, Japan, which had a national association of rural medicine, came out land took over the Secretariat. As the time came when Dr. Wakatsuki and Dr. Matsushima had to retire, he added, the country which could take over the Secretariat would be some Scandinavian country, Poland, India or China. He said he thinks the Lublin Institute could preserve the tradition, noting that the Polish side promised to weigh the proposition that the Secretariat be transferred to Poland. In February this year, Prof. Huyoffadded, that he reminded the Polish side of the Bureau's call to explore the possibility of taking over the Secretariat. "If you say no to our proposition today, tomorrow or by the end of September, I simply will not have any other idea." Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz said he and his col- leagues were not certain about the existence of their association at the beginning of February. "Now, thanks to God, the present Minister of Agriculture is a friendly man for our organisation. KRUS managed to resist attempts for its disband-ment. To cheer you up, I would also say that the current Minister of Agriculture was one of the fathers who gave birth to the law on KRUS." Prof Tenyi asked the Polish delegates to take another look at their situation and hoped that they will come out with a final decision by the end of September, when he said he can organise another presidential meeting in Budapest, Vienna or some other place, hoping the Polish will play an active role in the life of the Association. American Chapter Then, the establishment of the North American Chapter was put on the agenda. Prof. Tenyi said that he hopes the Secretariat will come out with a modification of the Statutes for establishment of the North American Chapter so that it may be Presented to the General Assembly of the Pecs Congress. He also asked the Secretariat to find out who will become leader of that regional chapter. The President said that he has accepted the petition of the North American Agromedicine Consortium to become the North American Chapter of IAAMMRH. He also asked the IAAMRH Nomination Committee to recommend the nominee for the chapter's president to the General Assembly in Pecs next year on the basis of the nomination by L&AMM members in the United States. He described the nomination as a very important issue for the future of the Association. Asked about NAAC by Dr. Holubicki, Prof. Tenyi explained what this organisation is and its relationships with IAAMRH Hunagrian Supporter The President said that he has received a letter from Dr. Eger Istvan, president of the Hungarian Association of Family Practitioners in Villages (HAFPV), which reads: "The Hungarian Association of Family Practitioners in Villages, which recruits its members among doctors who work in villages and rural areas, has been informed about your international association, its activities and goals, in connection with the organisation of the XIV International Congress of Agricultural Medicine and Rural Health to be held in Hungary. "Our association has more than a thousand members and we are not only a scientific organisation but we also represent the interests of our numbers. "We would like to express that we agree with those principles and goals which are stated in your Statutes, therefore after the approval of your executives the AFPV would like to be the joint Hungarian member of IAAMRH as a support organisation. "We would like to apply for the Association Membership of IACYERH as a corporate body. "We would be grateful to you, if -- after having known our work and activities -- you find it suitable to invite a representative from our association to your executive board of the European Chapter or your Bureau as well as to other corn- missions. "We are also going to encourage our members to become titular members of LAAMRH. "We really hope that our initiations will help the realisation of the goals of the XIV Congress of IAAMRH and will contribute to the co-operation for the health of rural communities." Ties with WONCA Prof. Tenyi said that while he was in Bombay on the occasion of the International Conference on Woman and Child in 1998, he received a letter from Dr. W.E. Fabb, chief executive officer of the World Organisation of National Colleges, Academics and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (WONCA), along with its by laws. The letter asks the President to determine on the basis of the by laws and regulations whether IAAMH is eligible to become an Organisation in Collaborative Relations with WONCA. The President asked the Acting Secretary General to check and see if the Association is eligible and, if so, fill in the application form, focusing on the need to strengthen co-operation and collaboration with WONCA. It organisation a conference on rural health every two years with the next one to be held in July with the participation of more than 500 delegates from across the world, the President remarked. He said that the possibility is ripe for working together with this group which serves for rural populations, hoping that official relationships be established between LAAMRH and WONCA. He said that the Secretariat will distribute WONCA letter and its application form to all Bureau members to enable them to assess the advisability of establishing official relationships with this group and put forward their views to the Secretariat. With no other issues put on the agenda, the President declared the Presidential meeting closed, but Dr. Holubicki came back to the topic of the Secretary General and said he would like to suggest the participants in the Presidential Meeting will once again meet in one month to discuss this issue, instead of prolonging its solution for ever, and come out with some kind of solution or the other. Dr. Kosiniak-Kamysz suggested that another meeting be held in the middle of June. In light of the travel cost required for it, Prof. Tenyi suggested the participants to exchange views by means of e-mail, fax and/or mail. Dr. Kosiniak-Kainysz said that the Polish side will arrive at a final decision within one month. Dr. Matsushima asked for permission to make a suggestion, asking the participants to recall that the Association has a nomination committee. He said that whatever nomination the Secretary General come out with is subject to an approval by the four-member Nomination Committee, which includes Prof Huyoff, Prof. Husman, Dr. Hoglund and Dr. Matsushima. Which means that whatever decision the Polish side makes is subject to a discussion by the Nomination Committee before it is presented to a Bureau meeting. After Dr. Matsushima's remarks, the President declared the Presidential Meeting closed. African Congress on Safety and Health The IAAMRH African Chapter collaborated the Arab Society of Environmental Safety and Health in holding the Sixth Annual Conference on Safety and Health for Agricultural Communities under the main theme of "Healthy Food for All People Produced by Healthy Farmers" at the Safir Hotel in Cairo on July 3, 1999. Health Safety and Health for Agricultural Communities under the main theme of "Healthy Food for All People Produced by Healthy Farmers" at the Safir Hotel in Cairo on July 3, 1999. About 260 representatives of governments and other public organisations, universities, public health and community specialists and physicians took part in the conference held under the auspices of Prof, Youself Wally, Vice Chief of the Egyptian Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The program covered occupational health problems in agriculture, focusing on agricultural mechanisation accidents, rural health problems, agricultural legislation and ergonomics. It also covered other important issues, such as occupational cancer, zoonosis, health and new labour law. A panel discussion was held on the second day for recommendations, which would evolve around agricultural safety and health problems in Egypt and other parts of north Africa. Hungarian Family Practitioners Want to Join IAAMRH The Hungarian Association of Family Practitioners in Villages (AFPV), which recruits its members from among doctors who work in villages and rural areas, has been informed about our Association, its activities and goals, in connection with organisation of the XIV International Congress of Agricultural Medicine and Rural Health. The Pereszteg-based group has more than 1,000 members and represents the interests of its members. Dr. Eger Istvan, the Association's president, says in a letter to the LAAMMRH President that the group would like to express that it agrees with those principles and goals which are stated in the IAAMRH Statutes and, after the approval of the IAAMRH executive board, to join IAAMRH as a "corporate body." He also says that AFPV is going to encourage its members to become IAAMRH titular members. ensuring that no child need to suffer the crippling disease of poliomyelitis," the regional director declared.He believed that indigenous and poliovirus transmission in the Western Pacific has finally ceased. Despite high-quality surveillance, no new poliomyelitis has been detected in the region since March 19, 1997. This contrasts with almost 6,000 poliomyelitis cases reported in 1990. WHO ex- pects that the region be certified as poliomyelitis- free in 2000. Cover Page Asian Region Special Lecture Topics Papers Next |