THE General Practitioners’ Society under the Myanmar Medical Association will hold its Ninth Annual Conference in Bago on January 5 and 6, said the society’s president, Dr Tin Aye.

He said the aim of the conference will be to provide continuing medical education, promote friendship among general practitioners (GPs) and encourage participation in public healthcare processes.

“The conference will include paper presentations and discussions on common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases during seminars and practical teaching sessions,” he said.

He said participants will also discuss the status of healthcare projects conducted by the Myanmar Medical Association in areas such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, reproductive health and youth education.

Dr Tin Aye said that whereas in the past GPs mostly provided treatment at their own clinics, many of them are now contributing their efforts to public healthcare activities, including participating in the association’s healthcare projects.

The society holds its annual conference in Yangon every second year and organises it in other cities throughout Myanmar in the years in between.

“This helps us get new medical knowledge to GPs in rural areas,” said Dr Tin Aye, adding that the gap in knowledge between rural and urban GPs has narrowed since the society started its continuing medical education program two years ago.

“The society runs the program in 15 townships throughout the country and will expand it to four more townships next year,” he said.

“The society will also publish the first issue of Family Doctor magazine in December with articles on general practices and family medicine as well as cartoons, poems and creative articles,” he said.

The General Practitioners’ Society has 21 branches throughout the country and boasts more than 2000 lifetime members.