Meetings
Northern Europe
Regional Meetings
The next regional meeting will be the Northern Europe regional meeting in Cambridge, United Kingdom on 15th – 17th May 2025. It will be combined with the UK Medical Women’s Federation (MWF) Spring meeting. The first event is a formal dinner to be held in Downing College on Thursday 15th May. The main conference will be held on Friday in Anglia Ruskin Unversity, with prestigious speakers, a panel discussion, and abstract presentations. This will be followed by an informal supper. The MWIA regional business meeting will take place on the Saturday morning and will be followed by a 2-hour international meeting with talks, abstracts and networking. Full details will be available soon, including how to submit abstracts for oral presentation or poster display.
For more information, and to register see www.medicalwomensfederation.org.uk
Near East and Africa
MWIA Near East and Africa Regional meeting 8-10 May 2024
The 10th Regional Congress of MWIA Near East and Africa Region (NEAR) was held in Livingstone, Zambia from 8-10 May 2024 with the theme One humanity: Health Solutions through our Partnerships.
The congress was well attended by more than 350 local and international delegates. 13 Countries were represented physically and online including DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Notable delegates included the MWIA President, Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, MWIA past President Dr. Clarissa Fabre, MWIA President elect, Dr. Amany Asfour, and MWIA Social Media Chair, Dr Beverley Johnson. The WHO Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti gave a keynote speech virtually and was honoured with a lifetime achievement award for her public health work in Africa and globally. The guest of honour was the Zambian Minister of Health, Ms. Sylvia Masebo, who also received a Health Excellence award for her contribution to public health.
Other awards given included the Research and Innovation award to Dr. Nanthalile Mugala and Dr. Margaret Kasaro, the Global Mentorship award to Dr. Akwi Asombang, and an award to Dr. Claribel Abam, VP MWIA NEAR region, for her contribution to the African regional growth.
MWAN, MWAZ and MWAG were also recognized for being the most active national association, hosting the MWIA congress and having the most active Young Doctors forum respectively. Dr. Oum-Kalsoum Adam Zakara from Ghana was individually recognized for commitment to the Young Doctors Forum. Lesotho was also recognised for being a Vibrant New Member.
SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS
There were four Plenary Sessions covering the following topics
– Inclusivity in achieving health equity
– Leveraging Partnerships to accelerate Universal Health Care and Equity of Access to Health
– Physician Focus: Care for the Carer
– Ground-breaking Innovations in restricted settings
There were 39 Abstracts presented in four sessions of three groups per session in the three days of the event. They covered RMCAH-N; Communicable Diseases; Non communicable Diseases; Medical Education, Leadership & Mentoring; Operative & Surgical subspecialties.
Poster Presentations took place on Day 2 with a wide range of Posters covering the subthemes of the congress.
The Regional Business Meeting took place on Day 3 with 12 National Associations in attendance. Cameroon 1, Egypt 1, Ghana 3, Lesotho 2, Nigeria 22, Sierra Leone 1, Tanzania 10, Uganda 1, Zambia 112 attended as full delegates. DR Congo 1, Senegal 1 Malawi 1 had observer status since they were not up to date financially with MWIA. Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, South Africa, and Zimbabwe were absent. Major decisions were reached on activities to achieve the objectives of MWIA.
The Women in Medicine Lesotho (WIML) President and Treasurer travelled to Livingstone, Zambia to participate in the Congress. The event was a momentous occasion for establishing new friendships and consolidating existing networks. WIML were delighted to receive an award in recognition of its vibrancy as the newest member of the Region.
The President of the Medical Women’s Association of Ghana (MWAG, Dr Mary Amoakoh-Coleman, a past President, Dr Naa Adorkor Sodzi-Tettey, and the National Coordinator of yMWIA, Dr Oum-Kalsoum Z Adams participated in the Conference.
They presented two Scientific papers and chaired two breakout sessions. MWAG won two awards (Best National yMWIA and Best yMWIA member).
The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) National President led delegates to the Conference. MWAN received an award for most active National body, made scientific presentations, chaired sessions and generally had a good time.
The Congress had an interesting 3 days of deliberations with important takeaways, including a call to increase maternity leave to at least 6 months in countries that give less paid leave to new mothers, among other resolutions.
MWIA Near East and Africa Region is making steady progress in growth numerically and otherwise. The region is represented on most MWIA Committees and Special Interest Groups. The National Associations are making an impact in advocacy and service delivery at various levels. Most of them are recognized by their governments and are working closely with the authorities for policy formulation and information dissemination. The Congress was an opportunity to share most of these experiences and best practices for which everyone is grateful. It was indeed a successful event.
Zambia Minister for Health with MWIA president, Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi
Dr Claribel Abam, VP NEAR region with Zambian doctors
MWAZ president, Dr Joyce Sakala with MWIA past president, Dr Clarissa Fabre
Western Pacific
The MWIA Western Pacific Regional Conference 2024
From Dr Bong Ok Kim, VP Westpac and others from the region
The 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 and coordinating the seamless running of the conference with great professionalism and their unforgettable hospitality.
A Hospital visit was arranged for a small group of participants on 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, and 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 were shown by the PMWA members from the polyvinyl rice pack, 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.
Dr Bong Ok Kim, Westpac region
Dr Vivina Chiu (in orange dress) with Philippine women doctors
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.
Professors Park and Casper with MWIA president Dr Nwadinobi
Dr. Vivina Chiu from the Philippines has announced that the photos from the conference are now uploaded on the PMWA website (https:// pmwa.ph) and members are welcome to download these. Dr Chiu expressed her appreciation to MWIA President and EXCO for increasing activity and visibility of MWIA in the UN, and the collaboration with the Sepsis Alliance. MWIA became more appreciated and attracted more interest in the Philippines after the Western Pacific Regional Conference in Cebu.
Dr Cissy Yu with members of the HKWDA
KMWA members in traditional Korean attire at the conference
Central Asia
The 10th MWIA-Central Asia regional conference (CARC) in Bangkok on 22-24 August 2024
The 10th CARC was successfully held at Montien Surawongse hotel in Bangkok on 22-24 August 2024 with more than 200 delegates from Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), Association of Medical Women of India (AMWI), Medical Women’s Association of Pakistan (MWAP), and Thai Medical Women’s Association (TMWA).
Our theme, “Women’s Health and Wellness for All Ages,” has served as a powerful beacon, illuminating the critical importance of addressing the unique health challenges faced by women throughout their lifespan. We explored the landscape of immunization in 2024, the complexities of aging in Asia, and the urgent need to address gender disparities in our medical field. We discussed the vital importance of reproductive health in adolescent girls, the heartbreaking issue of the abuse of women and children, and the holistic approach to fostering health and vitality across women’s lifespans.
Fig 1. The 10th CARC opening ceremony (Central Asia Regional Congress)
Fig 2. Oral presentation award during the 10th CARC with the 3 winners
The President of AMWI delivered a keynote address on “Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health”. The Chair of the MWIA Special Interest Group for VAWG Dr Minnie Oseji and Global Training Director, Dr Mandakini Megh presented the ‘Global training Program on elimination of Violence Against Woman & Girls’ on 24th August.
Inauguration of the training programme was done by MWIA president, Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi.
The prestigious Dr Jhirad Oration was conferred on Dr Darunee, Vice President, Central Asia region of MWIA. She was presented with the Oration trophy in a small ceremony after her speech on “Role of Women’s Leadership in Advancing Gender Equity and Workplace Well-Being”.
Fig. 3 Presentation of the Jhirad Oration trophy
The Medical Women’s Association of Pakistan (MWAP) actively participated in the MWIA Central Asia Congress in Thailand. Dr. Wajiha Rizwan, Prof. Shamsa Hamayun, Prof. Mahwish Arooj and Prof. Lubna Ansari represented MWAP and Pakistan at CARC. (Fig.4 below).
Dr. Wajiha Rizwan, President of MWAP, delivered a powerful keynote address titled “Breaking the Silence: Safeguarding Females from Child Abuse and Neglect.” In her speech, she emphasized the urgent need to protect vulnerable children and presented compelling data from the Child Protection Unit of the Children’s Hospital Lahore, where she serves as Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Organizing Secretary. Her address highlighted the challenges and gaps in child protection and underscored the importance of early intervention.
Prof. Shamsa Hamayun, Senior Vice President of MWAP, Academic Advisor at DME CPSP, and former Vice Chancellor of FJMU Lahore, delivered two insightful talks on “Teenage Pregnancy” and “Navigating Crises with Grace.” She shed light on the pressing issues faced by adolescent girls and highlighted strategies for overcoming these challenges with dignity and strength. Her talks paid tribute to the leadership of Pakistani women in the medical profession, encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.
Prof. Mahwish Arooj, Principal of UMDC and a founding member of MWAP, inspired the audience with her talk titled “Every Day We Have an Opportunity to Make an Influence.” She shared her personal journey, emphasizing how dedication and determination can shape the lives of others and create lasting change in the medical field. Her life story served as a beacon of resilience and commitment to improving healthcare and education.
Prof. Lubna Ansari, a member of the MWAP Advisory Board and Director of the PhD program at the University College of Medicine and Dentistry, addressed the critical topic of “Unveiling Gender Disparities for Women in the Asian Medical Landscape.” Her presentation revealed the deep-rooted gender inequalities that persist in healthcare across Asia, calling for urgent reforms and greater opportunities for female healthcare professionals.
MWAP expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, whose unwavering support has played a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s presence within MWIA. Her dedication to empowering women globally has not only inspired MWAP but also uplifted women leaders in the medical community. Dr Eleanor’s mentorship and encouragement continue to pave the way for MWAP’s achievements on international platforms.
Special thanks were also extended to the Thai Medical Women’s Association (TMWA) and Central Asia Vice President Dr Darunee for their exceptional hospitality during the congress. MWAP looks forward to working closely with the Association of Medical Women in India (AMWI) and the Thai Medical Women’s Association to foster collaborative efforts aimed at advancing healthcare and bridging gender gaps in the Central Asia region.
Fig 4. MWAP delegates at CARC, 2024
Fig 5. MWAP, TMWA and AMWI representatives with Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi
MWAP would also like to express gratitude to the Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand, Her Excellency Miss. Rukhsana Afzaal, for joining as Guest of Honour at the MWIA Central Asia Regional Congress. Her presence highlighted the importance of government support in strengthening the role of medical health professionals. Her assurance of Pakistan’s backing in promoting healthcare initiatives and empowering female medical professionals was a significant endorsement, further reinforcing MWAP’s mission on this international platform. (Fig. 6)
Fig 6. MWAP along with Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand, Her Excellency Miss. Rukhsana Afzaal
A crucial part of the Central Asia Regional Business Meeting was our agreement to sign a Statement of Matter of Urgent Priority by President of MWIA, VP Central Asia, and the presidents of AMWI, TMWA, MWAP. This was sent to different authorities, the UN and WHO and the Indian Government, and spoke strongly against the heinous crime of Rape and Murder of a young woman doctor in Kolcutta, India on 9th August 2024. A candle march was taken in the CARC conference as a protest on the above incident. In India, nation-wide protests were staged against this gruesome murder of a young doctor on duty.
Fig 7. Central Asia Business Meeting agreed to sign a Statement of Matter of urgent priority against the heinous crime of Rape and Murder of a young woman doctor in Kolcutta