BANGKOK, Monday, 20 March 2023 – The 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) of the Experts’ Working Group on Military Medicine (EWG on MM) was held at the Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel, Thaon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand from 20-21 March 2023.
The meeting was co-chaired by Colonel (Dr) Haji Awang Mohd Hafizul Bin Haji Awang Mohd Hassan, Chief Medical Officer of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and Brigadier Isaac Seidl, Director General of Operational Health, Joint Health Command of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and officiated by Major General Sura Saiubol, Assistant Director-General, Office of Policy and Planning, The Ministry of Defence, Kingdom of Thailand.
The meeting was conducted in collaboration with the Republic of the Philippines and the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM) and attended physically and virtually by representatives from ADMM-Plus countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.
As part of realising the vision of the current ADMM-Plus EWG on MM’s initiative to enhance healthcare accessibility, strengthen resilience and assist a community in need to progress towards realising the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the 16th EWG on MM acts as a middle planning conference for this cycle’s initiative: Project-based Community Deployment/Medical Provision (PCMD/MAP). The initiative allows ADMM-Plus countries to contribute to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas within General Tinio Municipality, Nueva Ecija, in the Philippines.
Based on the health needs assessment conducted during the initial multi-lateral site survey in General Tinio Municipality, contributions from the ADMM-Plus countries in PCMD/MAP are hoped to meet the community’s requirements, specifically their health, logistics and water, sanitation and hygiene requirements.
ACMM will be tested as one of the main instruments to coordinate and facilitate the interoperability of the different capacities and capabilities provided by all ADMM-Plus countries in delivering their voluntary contributions to the PCMD/MAP. Other existing mechanisms will also be utilised and tested within PCMD/MAP, including the Logistics Support Framework (LSF), Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP) and the Liaison Officer Network within ACMM. Lessons learned from PCMD/MAP can be utilised to improve future processes and coordination of delivering health assistance to any needy community.
Since its establishment in 2010, the EWG on MM has strengthened cooperation, interoperability and coordination among the military medical services of the 18 ADMM-Plus countries as envisaged by the ADMM-Plus leaders.
MESYUARAT KUMPULAN KERJA PAKAR PERUBATAN TENTERA ADMM-PLUS (ADMM-PLUS EWG ON MM) KALI KE-16 DI BANGKOK, KERAJAAN THAILAND
Bangkok, Isnin, 20 Mac 2023 – Mesyuarat Kumpulan Kerja Pakar Perubatan Tentera ADMM-Plus (ADMM-Plus EWG on MM) kali ke-16 telah diadakan di Hotel Bangkok King Power, Thaon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Kerajaan Thailand dari 20 hingga 21 Mac 2023.
Mesyuarat tersebut telah dipengerusikan bersama oleh Kolonel (Dr) Haji Awang Mohd Hafizul bin Haji Awang Mohd Hassan, Ketua Pegawai Perubatan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) dan Brigedier Isaac Seidl, Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Operasi, Markas Kesihatan Bersama Pasukan Pertahanan Australia (ADF) dan telah dirasmikan oleh Mejar Jeneral Sura Saiubol, Penolong Ketua Pengarah Pejabat Dasar dan Perancangan, Kementerian Pertahanan, Kerajaan Thailand.
Mesyuarat dijalankan melalui kerjasama dengan Republik Filipina dan ACMM dan dihadiri secara fizikal dan maya dari wakil dari negara-negara ADMM-Plus, ACMM dan Sekretariat ASEAN.
Di antara usaha untuk merealisasikan initiatif visi ADMM-Plus EWG on MM iaitu untuk meningkatkan akses kepada penjagaan kesihatan, mengukuhkan daya tahan dan membantu komuniti yang memerlukan untuk mencapai Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu, Mesyuarat ADMM-Plus EWG on MM yang ke-16 bertindak sebagai Perancangan Persidangan Pertengahan untuk inisiatif Project-based Community Deployment/Medical Provision (PCMD/MAP). Inisiatif ini membolehkan semua negara ahli ADMM-Plus untuk memberikan sumbangan ke kawasan terpencil di dalam Perbandaran General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, di Republik Filipina.
Berdasarkan penilaian keperluan kesihatan yang dijalankan semasa tinjauan awal di Bandaran General Tinio, sumbangan daripada negara ADMM-Plus melalui PCMD/MAP diharap dapat memenuhi keperluan masyarakat di sana, khususnya dari segi kesihatan, logistik, air dan sanitasi dan keperluan kebersihan.
ACMM akan diuji sebagai salah satu instrumen utama untuk menyelaras dan memudahkan pengendalian kapasiti dan keupayaan berbeza yang diberikan oleh semua negara ahli ADMM-Plus dalam menyampaikan sumbangan sukarela mereka dalam PCMD/MAP. Mekanisme lain yang sedia ada juga akan digunakan dalam PCMD/MAP termasuk Logistics Support Framework (LSF), Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP) dan melalui rangkaian Pegawai Perhubungan (Liaison Officer Network) dalam ACMM. Pengajaran yang akan diperolehi daripada PCMD/MAP boleh digunakan untuk penyelarasan di masa hadapan dalam menyampaikan bantuan kesihatan kepada mana-mana komuniti yang memerlukan.
Sejak penubuhannya pada tahun 2010, Kumpulan Kerja Pakar Perubatan Tentera telah berupaya mengukuhkan kerjasama, kesaling-operasian serta penyelarasan di kalangan institusi perubatan tentera bagi 18 buah negara ADMM-Plus seperti mana yang dihasratkan oleh ketua-ketua pertahanan ADMM-Plus.