Straight from the Heart: International IMA Activities Report 2017
Dr KK Aggarwal
National President IMA
The Indian Medical Association (IMA)
actively participates in World Medical Association (WMA), Confederation of
Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania (CMAAO), Commonwealth Medical
Association (CMA) and World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) meetings.
Internationally, WMA deals with all policies related to health, education and
regulations related to all the countries in a broad base. Policies with
regard to the above issues in Asia and Oceania regions are broadly
dealt by CMAAO and that in Commonwealth countries are dealt with by CMA.
Of
late many have criticized why IMA should participate in such meetings.
Here
is a brief note:
·
International interactions play a major role in
deciding most National or International policies.
·
World Medical Association (WMA)
with the help of 112 National Medical Associations periodically
develops concurrence statements, concurrence declarations and resolutions on
subjects of common interest. Such Statements, Declarations and Resolutions are
revised based on the current-day requirements. There are two types of
Revisions: Minor revision (which can be made any time) and major revision (which
can be made after 10 years of a Declaration / Statement).
·
All member countries / NMAs can raise their
national issues even including work conditions of their Resident Doctors like their
duty hours etc. through the International bodies. When these
International bodies raise an issue even if it relates to individual countries
or segments, all member countries follow up such matters
with the relevant related authorities in those country(ies) /
Segment(s), creating a huge impact on the early resolution
of the issue.
·
IMA led two major revisions polices on behalf
of WMA, both of which were passed in the last WMA General Assembly held
in October 2017 at Chicago.
o
WMA STATEMENT ON HIV/AIDS
AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION ( Adopted
by the 57th WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa,
October 2006 and amended by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago,
United States, October 2017)
o
WMA RESOLUTION ON TUBERCULOSIS: Adopted
by the 57th WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa,
October 2006 and revised by the68th WMA General Assembly,
Chicago, United States, October 2017
·
IMA is leading the revisions to third
WMA policy on assisted reproductive technologies, which is likely to get passed
in 2018: WMA is in the process of revising the under
mentioned policy in their ensuing meeting
·
The following
Declaration of Geneva, now called ‘The Physicians Pledge’ has
been amended by WMA. Dr KK Aggarwal and Dr A Marthanda Pillai were members of
the Working Group on behalf of IMA.
“As a
member of the medical profession:
I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to
dedicate my life to the service of humanity;
THE HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;
I WILL
RESPECT the autonomy and dignity of my patient;
I WILL
MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;
I WILL NOT PERMIT
considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin,
gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social
standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I WILL
RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even
after the patient has died;
I WILL PRACTISE my
profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical
practice;
I WILL
FOSTER the honour and noble traditions of the medical
profession;
I WILL GIVE to my
teachers, colleagues, and students the respect and gratitude that is
their due;
I WILL SHARE my medical
knowledge for the benefit of the patient
and the advancement of
I WILL ATTEND TO my own
health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest
standard;
I WILL NOT USE my
medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under
threat;
I MAKE THESE PROMISES
solemnly, freely and upon my honor”
Adopted
by the 2nd General Assembly of the World Medical
Association, Geneva, Switzerland, September 1948
and amended by the 22nd World Medical Assembly, Sydney, Australia, August 1968
and the 35th World Medical Assembly, Venice, Italy, October 1983
and the 46th WMA General Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden, September 1994
and editorially revised by the 170th WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2005
and the 173rd WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006
and amended by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, United States, October 2017
and amended by the 22nd World Medical Assembly, Sydney, Australia, August 1968
and the 35th World Medical Assembly, Venice, Italy, October 1983
and the 46th WMA General Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden, September 1994
and editorially revised by the 170th WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2005
and the 173rd WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006
and amended by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, United States, October 2017
·
IMA also organized /
attended various international conferences as follows:
o
Annual Scientific Meeting of Chinese Medical
Association, Nanjing (China), 14-15 January, 2016
o
International Summit on Air Pollution - Health
Advisories, New Delhi, March 10, 2017
o
12th World Conference on Bioethics, Medical
Ethics & Health Law, Cyprus, March 19-24, 2017
o
206th World Medical Association (WMA) Council
Meeting, Zambia, April 15-22, 2017
o
International Congress of Indian College of
Interventional Cardiology, Dubai, May 4-7, 2017
o
10th Geneva Conference on Person Centered
Medicine, Geneva, May 7-10, 2017
o
Annual Meeting of Swedish Medical Association,
Sweden, May 29-31, 2017
o
Annual Meeting of the American
Medical Association, Chicago, June 10-14, 2017
o
BMA Annual Representative Meeting, Bournemouth,
June 25- 29, 2017
o
32nd CMAAO General Assembly, Tokyo, September
13–15, 2017
o
WMA General Assembly, Chicago, October 11-14,
2017
o
European End of Life Issues, Vatican, November
2017
·
IMA now has direct one-to-one association and
communication with other Medical Associations of the world. IMA has
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for Developing Strategic Cooperation
Partnership with the Chinese Medical Association
·
International
collaborations
o
BMA
Chair always attends the NATCON of IMA
o
Presidents
of all National Medical Associations are invited in NATCON.
o
IMA is
affiliated to BMA
o
Nepal
Medical Association is affiliated to IMA.
o
IMA
donated drugs worth Rs. 45 Lakh to Nepal Medical Association
during the flood disaster in 2015.
o
Dr A
Marthanda Pillai, Past National President and Dr KK Aggarwal, National
President, IMA addressed a press conference in Nepal during their visit to
Nepal during flood disaster in 2015.
o
Dr
Ketan Desai, Past National President, IMA served the highest post of
WMA as its President during the year 2016-17.
o
Dr V C
Pillai, Past National President, IMA served as President, CMAAO
during the year 1992-93.
o
Dr
Vinay Aggarwal, Past National President, IMA served as President, CMAAO
during the year 2013.
o
Dr KK
Aggarwal, Hony Secretary General, IMA served as Vice President, CMAAO
during the year 2015-16
o
Dr KK
Aggarwal, National President, IMA is serving as 1st Vice
President, CMAAO during the year 2016-17
o
Dr KK
Aggarwal, National President, IMA will take over as President
Elect, CMAAO for the years 2018-19
o
Dr. S
Arulrhaj, Past National President, served as President, CMA
o
Dr K
Vijaya Kumar, Past National President served as Vice President CMA
o
Dr
Ajay Kumar, Past National President, IMA is serving as Council Member, WMA
o
Many
Past National Presidents of IMA: Dr Vinay Aggarwal, Dr Ajay Kumar, Dr A
Marthanda Pillai, Dr KK Aggarwal, National President, IMA and Dr RN Tandon,
Hony. Secretary General, IMA have served / have been serving on various
Committees of WMA/CMAAO
o
An
international conference on Person Centered Medicine will be held in November
2018 at New Delhi
o
IMA
will be hosting 2019 CMAAO meeting in September 2019
o
WMA
raised and supported the “Dilli Chalo” movement of IMA
IMA
is an integral part of global medical associations and should continue to lead the world
in the field of medicine.
