Dr. Bong Ok Kim – MWIA Regional Vice President for Western Pacific
MWIA Western Pacific Regional Conference 2024 was held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, Philippines July 11~13, 2024 in conjunction with the 73rd Annual Convention of the Philippine Medical Women’s Association (PMWA).
The preparation for the Regional Conference exceeded all expectations with the dedicated efforts of the members of the Local Organizing Committee in the PMWA led by Dr. Vivina C. Chiu and Dr. Rosa Maria H. Nancho. I send sincere appreciation from the bottom of my heart to the wonderful organizers who did a superb job of planning, seamless running of the conference with great professionalism and their unforgettable hospitality.
A Hospital visit was arranged for a small group of participants on the morning of July 11 to Vicente Sotte Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), an 800-bed tertiary level training hospital in the city of Cebu.
In the Opening Ceremony on July 11, MWIA President Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, MWIA Past Presidents Drs. Gabrielle Casper and Kyung Ah Park, VP WESPAC Dr. Bong Ok Kim, PMWA President Dr. Vivina Chiu marched in following the MWIA banner and national flags of the WESPAC region. The delegates from member countries marched in with the banner of each Association.
After the warm welcome remarks by President VIvina Chiu, messages were given by MWIA President Eleanor Nwadinobi and WESPAC VP Bong Ok Kim.
A keynote speech was given by Atty. Geraldine Faith A. Econg, followed by a Welcome Reception, full of cultural performances.
Two day long scientific sessions were inspirational and informative covering a wide range of interesting topics such as infant and child health, young MWIA, mentorship for women in medicine, climate change, telemedicine, work life balance, gender disparities, toxic waste management and violence against women.
At the demonstration workshop various recycling projects from the polyvinyl rice pack by the PMWA members and handcraft art with paper and a pair of very sharp scissors was demonstrated by the members of the Hong Kong Women Doctors’ Association (HKWDA).
The closing ceremony was an exceptional one for me. Members who spoke in the scientific sessions or presented posters of their scientific and medical research were called to the podium one by one and received an appreciation paper and a gift. I was honored and overwhelmed to close this wonderful Conference with my talk.
The second Kyung Ah Park Award was presented to Prof. Gabrielle Casper from Australia by the Korean Medical Women’s Association (KMWA) President, Prof. Soon Won Hong at the Awards Ceremony on the morning of July 13.
The Kyung Ah Park Award was established in 2021 by the Korean MWA when KWMA was preparing to hold WPRC 2021 in Seoul to acknowledge outstanding members of MWIA WPR. The first recipient of this Award was Dr. Cissy Yu from Hong Kong who founded HKWDA. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic WPRC was held on-line and the award was presented on-line 3 years ago. This Award will be given at the WPRCs by KMWA.
Prof. Kyung Ah Park is a member of KMWA, Past President of MWIA (2013~2016) and she was a VP WPR as well.
WESPAC regional meeting was held in a separate meeting room at 4:00PM on July 12.
MWIA President Eleanor Nwadinobi, Past Presidents Gabrielle Casper and Kyung Ah Park joined the meeting along with the members of the Associations in Western Pacific Region including Australia, Hong Kong, Korea and the Philippines. Dr. Chyong-Huey Lai was present at the Conference but had to leave early, and Japan MWA could join neither the Conference or the meeting. China also could not join this Conference.
On approval of the proposed agenda, the President and PPs gave encouraging remarks to WP Region.
It was confirmed again after the previous regional meetings held on-line to nominate Dr. Chyong-Huey Lai from Taiwan as the next VP candidate for WPR. The next WP Regional Conference will be held in Australia in 2027 with the Centennial Celebration of AFMW.
Dr. Vivina Chiu explained how difficult it was for her and the LOC to organize this Regional Conference and she was happy to report NO-RED numbers in the conference budget. Financing of the MWIA conferences were discussed and prior experiences were shared.
WPR VP reported the 33rd International Congress of MWIA will be held in Cairo, Egypt Oct. 11~13, 2025. The MWIA Quarterly Report is due in late July, 2024. MWIA annual dues for the year 2024-2025 are expected from Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Fig 1. Professor Gabrielle Casper receiving the 2nd Kyung Ah Park Award
Fig 2.Friendship night: from left : Maria Victoria Villarica (VP, PMWA), Rosa MAria Nancho ( Chair, Scientific Committee, LOC), Eleanor, Vivina Chiu(President, PMWA), Bong
Fig 3. Korean Delegation
Fig 4. Opening of poster and commercial exhibition : Bong, Eleanor, Vivina, Khung Ah