12 January
Opening ceremony of 47th Myanmar Health Research Congress was held at Yangon Region Department of Medical Research on the morning of 8 January.
In his address to the opening ceremony, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe said the ministry is instilling the development of a research culture in the medical and medical related universities, schools and health care service providing departments. All are urged to participate in drawing up a road map to raise and develop the health research sector which is the basic foundation towards increasing capacity and effectiveness of the national health care system. This congress is where knowledge and experience are shared to researchers, medical experts and management personnel. It is necessary to utilize the research findings discussed and submitted at the congress in real life works.
To conduct applied research K 1,000 million was allocated in Fiscal Year 2017-2018, K 500 million in FY 2018 April to September and K 1,500 million in FY 2018-2019 and more is planned to be allocated in the coming fiscal years. These funds are urged to be utilized in applied research on management of ministry’s projects, increasing expertise on subjects and topics and raising capacity in managing medicines and medical equipment. INGOs/NGOs and other organisations are urged to increase health research after obtaining permission and assessment from ethics review committee or institutional review boards of Public Health University. Researchers are urged to participate in drawing up a road map to increase research capacity in pre and post graduate courses of medical and medical related universities. The expectation is to conduct multi-centric researches by connecting and linking up internationally with universities, organizations, foundations, pharmaceutical companies and private sectors. For the health research sector to fulfill the requirement of the ministry and to support and complement national health project works researches on ordering and distribution of medicines and medical instrument/equipment; diseases and illnesses that occurs in the country; region and rate of occurrence; medical human resources requirement; current strength, mobilization and allocation; management and administrative system of the ministry; organisation and setup of hospitals, speed, ease and systematic diagnosis and treatment of patients; systematic care, treatment and management of patients in emergency wards; human resources of the ministry and financial resources are urged to be conducted.
Myanmar health research registry is also being established so that priority can be set and reviewed for important sectors where there are weaknesses in conducting research. Medical Research Department (Pyin Oo Lwin) is starting to give research capacity raising certificate courses and scholarship trainings were sent by connecting with international universities.
In this congress, 90 research posters and 141 papers will be read and discussed. Compared to past years there is an increase in both quality and quantity. Future generations must be instilled with interest to conduct research. A Research Utilization and Monitoring Committee will be formed to monitor the utilization of research findings and recommendations. In accordance with the theme of this congress “Ensure WASH: A global agenda to improve quality of life” government, experts in various subjects and partner organizations are to cooperate toward raising and developing social quality by filling in the omissions and requirements in sectors such as water, personal hygiene, and cleanliness of surrounding sectors. Analytical, thinking and expertise in the subject matter of each individual researcher will also be increased. Research works are a weapon that increases expertise and in-depth knowledge of subjects, enable achievement of Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), support social, economic and health development of the State and the people said the Union Minister.
Next, the Union Minister inspected the health related research posters and exhibits displayed at the congress.
Afterwards, paper reading session of the congress was held and was chaired and co-chaired by Union Minister Dr. Myint Htwe and Department of Medical Research acting Director General Prof. Dr. Zaw Wei Soe. The 47th Myanmar Health Research Congress was held until 11 January in Department of Medical Research (Yangon) and 141 papers and 90 posters were read and included 10 symposiums and 8 scientific talks. The congress was attended by medical researchers from Myanmar and researchers from INGOs/NGOs, US, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, UK and the Republic of Korea.—MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)
