International IMA Activities Report 2017

 IMA actively participates in WMA, CMAAO, CMA and 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 by CMA.

Off late many have criticized why IMA should participate in such meetings.

Here is a brief note

1. International interactions play a major role in deciding most Nation al or International policies.
2. 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).
3. All member countries / NMAs can raise their national issues even including work conditions of their Resident Doctors liketheir 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.
4. IMA led two major revisions polices on behalf of WMA. The same got passed in the last WMA assembly held in October 2017 at Chicago. They  were: WMA STATEMENT ON HIV/AIDS AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION ( Adopted by the 57^th WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa, October 2006 and amended by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, United States, October 2017)
5. WMA RESOLUTION ON TUBERCULOSIS: Adopted by the 57^th WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa, October2006 and revised by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, United States, October 2017

6. IMA IS LEADING THE THIRD WMA POLICY WHICH IS LIKELY TO GET PASSED IN 2018: WMA IS IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING THE UNDER MENTIONED POLICY IN THEIR ENSUING MEETING 

7.  The following Declaration of Geneva has been amended by WMA. Dr KK Aggarwal and Dr A Marthanda Pillai were members of this group.  The Physician’s Pledge

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 healthcare;

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 1948and amended by the 22nd World Medical Assembly, Sydney, Australia, August 1968and the 35th World Medical Assembly, Venice, Italy, October 1983and the 46th WMA General Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden, September 1994and editorially revised by the 170th WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2005and the 173rd WMA Council Session, Divonne-les-Bains, France, May 2006and amended by the 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, United States, October 2017

8. IMA organized / attended the various international conferences which are as follows:

• Annual Scientific Meeting of Chinese Medical Association: 14-15 January, 2016, Nanjing (China)
• International Summit on Air Pollution - Health Advisories : March 10, 2017, New Delhi
• 12th World Conference on Bioethics, Medical Ethics & Health Law: March 19-24, 2017 Cyprus.
• 206th World Medical Association (WMA) Council Meeting : April 15-22, 2017, Zambia
• International Congress of Indian College of Interventional Cardiology: May 4-7^th  2017 at Dubai
• 10th Geneva Conference on Person Centered Medicine : May 7- 10th 2017,  Geneva
• Annual Meeting of Swedish Medical Association: May 29- 31, 2017, Sweden.
• Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association:  June 10-14, 2017, Chicago.
• BMA Annual Representative Meeting June 25- 29, 2017, Bournemouth
• 32nd CMAAO General Assembly on September 13–15, 2017 Tokyo
• WMA General Assembly on October 11-14, 2017, Chicago 2017 at Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Chicago
•  European End of Life Issues: Vatican November 2017

9. IMA now has direct 1 to 1 relation and communication with other Medical Associations of the world. IMA has entered into a following Memorandum of Understanding for Developing Strategic Cooperation Partnershipwith the Chinese Medical Association
10. International collaborations

• BMA Chair always attends the NATCON of IMA
• Presidents of all National Medical Associations are invited in NATCON.
• IMA is affiliated to BMA
• Nepal Medical Association is affiliated to IMA.
• IMA donated drugs worth Rs. 45 Lakh to Nepal Medical Association during the flood disaster in 2015.
• Dr A. Marthanda Pillai, Past National President and Dr K K Aggarwal, National President, IMA addressed a press conference in Nepal during their visit to Nepal during flood disaster in 2015.
• Dr Ketan Desai, Past National President, IMA served the highest post of WMA as its President during the year 2016-17.
• Dr V C Pillai, Past National President, IMA served as President, CMAAO during the year 1992-93.
• Dr. Vinay Aggarwal, Past National President, IMA served as President, CMAAO during the year 2013.
• Dr K K Aggarwal, Hony. Secretary General, IMA served as Vice President, CMAAO during the year 2015-16
• Dr K K Aggarwal, National President, IMA is serving as 1^st Vice President, CMAAO during the year 2016-17
• Dr K K Aggarwal, National President, IMA will take over as President Elect, CMAAO for the years 2018-19
• Dr. S. Arul Rhaj, Past National President, served as PRESIDENT, CMA
• Dr K Vijaya Kumar, Past National President served as Vice President CMA
• Dr. Ajay Kumar, Past National President, IMA is serving as Council Member, WMA
• Many Past National Presidents of IMA: Dr. Vinay Aggarwal, Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. A Marthanda Pillai, Dr K K Aggarwal, National President, IMA and Dr R N Tandon, Hony. Secretary General, IMA served / have been serving on various Committees of WMA/CMAAO
• An international conference on Person Centered Medicine will be held in November 2018 at New Delhi
• IMA will be hosting 2019 CMAAO meeting in September 2019
• WMA raised and supported the IMAs Movement “Dilli Chalo”

IMA is an integral part and should continue leading the world in the field of medicine.