Neglected diseases of poor nations in focus
Unlike other medical conferences, the upcoming Prince Mahidol Award Conference will focus on policies aimed to countering health problems faced by minority groups around the world.
Highlights of the conference include a discussion on the adverse effects of the drug patent system on people living with HIV/Aids - to life-saving medications, said Prof Vicharn Panich, chairman of the conference. The session will be jointly organised by the World Bank and UNAids. It will be held in Bangkok from February 1-2. Organisers expect to welcome about 200 international delegates who are prominent figures in the fields of medicine and public health, as well as organisations on development, plus an estimated 100 Thai participants. "The diseases that affect poor countries tend to be neglected and not appealing for drug companies to develop, so we're going to discuss how to resolve this classic global problem," Vicharn said. On the auspicious occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Prince Mahidol Award, the Thai government will fund the Bt80-million event - with additional financial contributions from the World Bank and the World Health Organisation. The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation was established to commemorate the 100th anni-versary of the birth of HRH Prince Mahidol of Songkla, who is known as the father of modern Thai medicine and public health. The PMA Foundation began conferring the award to individuals or teams whose findings helped improve world health. Arthit Khwankhom The Nation
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