Military medical exchange proposed

The Ministry of Defence plans to host the first meeting of young ASEAN military medical officers next year. The proposal was put forward at the ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference (ACMMC-1), that opened for the first time in Vietnam on Friday.

The exchange is one of two initiatives put forward by Vietnam, along with an orientation for ASEAN military medical co-operation. Both ideas are expected to be approved by ASEAN chiefs of military medicine during the three - day event.

The meeting aims to promote solidarity, friendship and mutual understanding among ASEAN military medical officers.

Director General of the Ministry of Defence\'s Military Medicine Department Colonel Vu Quoc Binh highlighted the importance of military medical co-operation among ASEAN countries in confronting non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, natural disasters and pandemics.

"Today\'s meeting shows our determination to deal with common and trans-national security challenges such as infectious diseases and natural disasters," stressed Binh.

"We wish to integrate military medical activities to create an aggregate strength with a view to effectively addressing common issues of the ASEAN community such as preventing emerging and re-emerging pandemics and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters," said Binh.

Countries would work together in their various fields of expertise, and provide training for one another, he added.

The Vietnam Military Medicine Department has medical co-operative relations with 30 nations and Memoranda of Understanding with nine nations. Through these relations, they have co-operated in the prevention and treatment of malaria, dengue fever, HIV/AIDS, swine flu and bird flu.

Vietnam has also co-operated with Laos and Cambodia under the provision of a tri-nation protocol that involves training medical officers about the examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.