300 Medical Practitioners To Attend Tropical Disease Conference

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Some 300 medical practitioners are expected to attend the Malaysian Scandinavian International Conference on Infectious and Tropical Diseases (MSIDT) 2006 to be held at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah campus from Nov 16 to 19.
Its School of Medicine senior consultant physician and Infectious/Tropical Diseases professor, Dr Georg Gossius said the seminar would bring together health and medical experts from Norway, the United Kingdom, United States, Sweden and the World Health Organisation (Switzerland).
Speakers from Malaysia would include the Health Ministry's director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, while there would be representatives from Thailand, India, Indonesia and Australia at the conference, he told a news conference here Friday.
"Among the papers to be presented are mostly on tropical diseases which affect Malaysia such as dengue, hepatitis, AIDS, infectious diarrhoea, tuberculosis and avian influenza."
However, he said, the conference would not be solely meant for medical experts and practitioners to discuss serious issues, but also for them to enjoy the adventure and nature offered by Sabah through its World Heritage site, Mount Kinabalu, Sipadan Island and the wildlife reserves as well as marine parks.
"There will be about 50 Scandinavian doctors at the event and they will bring along their companions. Many of them will extend their stay and go round Sabah.
"This conference is also not only aimed at promoting the university's School of Medicine on the world academic map, but is also indirectly a big public relations campaign for Sabah as well as Visit Malaysia Year 2007," he added.