MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF
SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS
(MASEAN)

INTRODUCTION

The preparatory meeting of the medical associations of the member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 29 February to 1 March 1980 to consider the establishment of the Medical Association of South East Asian Nations (MASEAN). This was held in response to the recognition of the importance of mutual cooperation and collective effort among the national medical associations in attaining the highest possible level of healthcare for people in the region and in upholding the image and dignity of the medical profession.

Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand met to study the feasibility of establishing a cooperative association in order to pool talents and resources, to formulate programmes for studies and research as well as to improve the services in healthcare delivery to the people of our nations. It was envisaged that the framework of the proposed organisation would allow for the exchanges of views, information and resources for projects and programmes. The preparatory meeting culminated in the formation of MASEAN, which was inaugurated on 10 April 1980 in Penang, Malaysia.


OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of MASEAN are:

  • To promote close ties among the national medical associations and physicians in ASEAN;
  • To foster the study and dissemination of all aspects of medical knowledge;
  • To study and report on the problems which confront the profession in the region; and
  • To establish common policies in attaining the highest possible level of healthcare for the people.


    PAST MASEAN MEETINGS

    The 1st MASEAN Council Meeting was held immediately after the Inaugural Ceremony and Dr M. K. Rajakumar, the then President of the Malaysian Medical Association was elected Chairman of MASEAN for a two-year term. On 30 January 1981, MASEAN was accepted by ASEAN as an affiliate with non-government status.

    MASEAN Forum, the official newsletter of MASEAN, was first published in January 1981 and the inaugural issue was circulated at the 2nd MASEAN Council Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand on 19 January 1981. The meeting agreed that the MASEAN Forum would serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas and medical knowledge amongst doctors in this regiion, and decided that it should be published on a quarterly basis and be made available to member associations of MASEAN.

    At the same meeting, the idea of a biennial MASEAN conference was also mooted. The first Conference was held from 21 to 25 May 1982 in Manila, Philippines, in conjunction with the Diamon Anniversary and Annual Convention of the Philippine Medical Association. The theme of the inaugural MASEAN Conference was `Primary Healthcare Delivery through Organised Medicine'. It was agreed that member countries would rotate to host the MASEAN Conference according to alphabetical order of country names. The following were the venues and themes of the other MASEAN Conferences:

    Second: 14 - 15 April 1984, Singapore
    `Towards Medical Excellence'

    Third: 22 October 1986, Pattaya, Thailand
    `The Role of Professional Medical Associations in National Development'

    Fourth: 28 - 29 November 1988, Surabaya, Indonesia
    `Activities and Accomplishments of Member Associations'

    Fifth: 1 August 1990, Meleka, Malaysia
    `Role of the Medical Profession in Environmental Issues'

    Sixth: 5 February 1993, Quezon City, Philippines
    `Health and Environment'

    Seventh: 22 - 23 April 1995, Singapore
    `Serving the Community'

    Eighth: 29 - 31 October 1997, Chiang Mai, Thailand
    'Healthcare Beyond the Year 2000'

    Ninth: 29 - 30 October 1999, Hanoi, Vietnam
    'ASEAN's Medicine on the Dawn of 21st Century'

    Tenth: 15 - 18 November 2001, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
    'Health in Transition'

    Eleventh: 29 - 30 July 2004, Bali, Indonesia
    'Strengthening Professional Medical Education in the Context of Regional Health Development

    Twelfth: 9 - 11 November 2006, Genting, Malaysia
    'Continuing Professional Development'

     

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