Thailand will host an international conference on global medical and public health issues during February 1-2, which is to become an annual event.

According to a press conference held at Thai Foreign Ministry Wednesday, the so-called "Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2007" is part of this year's 15th-anniversary celebration of Thailand's prominent Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) for medicine and public health. Winners for 2006 will be presented their awards on January 31 at a ceremony presided by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.

Under the theme of "Improving Access to Essential Health Technologies: Focusing on Neglected Diseases, Reaching Neglected Populations," the conference is hosted by Thailand's Prince Mahidol Award Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Thai Government, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other institutions like UNAIDS, Gates Foundation and the World Bank.

Hundreds of renowned medical and public health experts and activists from all around the world will attend the conference, including Dr. Margaret Chan, the new Director-General of WHO, who won the PMA in 1998 and will present a keynote speech at the opening day.

According to Thai Foreign Ministry, Dr. Chan has expressed her delight at the conference's choosing the theme on "neglected diseases and neglected populations", as "these are diseases that affect people who are hidden because they are poor and silent because they have no political voice."

One of the key issues to be discussed at the conference will be improving access of drugs and health technologies for critical diseases such as HIV/AIDS to people most in need.

Vicharn Panich, chairman of the PMA conference organizing committee, said that the conference will be organized annually to serve as a mechanism to consult and communicate important health policy issues. "The benefit of mankind is our ultimate aim," he added.

Source: Xinhua