The 11th ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference (ACMMC) commenced yesterday with an opening ceremony at The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong.
Representatives from ASEAN member countries and Timor-Leste are participating in the three-day event, which concludes on June 26.
The conference concentrates on ‘Implications of Climate Change on Military Operational Readiness and the Role of Military Medicine’, seeking to foster the sharing of insights and practices in military medicine to enhance ASEAN ties.
Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan was the guest of honour.
Senior RBAF officers, representatives from organisations including the Ministry of Health (MoH), and participants from the Brunei Climate Change Office (BCCO), Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC), and Safety, Health and Environment National Authority (SHENA) were also in attendance.
ACMMC Chairperson Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) Ummi Suzeyanna binti Haji Johari delivered a welcoming speech and emphasised the challenges emerged by a changing climate and its impact on military operations and healthcare delivery.
The ceremony proceeded with a speech from the RBAF Commander, who reiterated the importance of addressing climate change’s effects on military preparedness.
He also highlighted the conference’s alignment with the ASEAN declaration on sustainable resilience, discussed during the 43rd ASEAN Summit themed ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’, and formally opened the conference, followed by a group photo session with the ACMMC head of delegates.
Subsequent presentations included discussions on the role of military medicine in tackling climate change impacts on operational preparedness.
The Sultanate previously hosted the 4th ACMMC in 2014.
