MANILA, (PNA) — After hosting the 11th Asian Crisis Management Conference (ACMC) last July, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will again host an international meeting on February 2014, which will discuss current developments in the prevention of infectious diseases in Asia.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said on Thursday that the 9th Annual Conference of the Asian Network of Major Cities (ANMC) 21 on Counter measures to Combat Infectious Diseases in Asia will be held from February 4-6 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria Hotel in Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City.
With the theme “Meeting City-Level Challenges to Achieve Millennium Development Goals on Infectious Diseases”, Tolentino said the three-day annual conference will gather health professionals, various medical associations, medical researchers, and city officials of the 13 member-cities of ANMC 21.
“Once again, we at the MMDA are honored to lead this international conference. We are hoping to learn and contribute in ANMC 21’s continuous efforts to stop the spread of diseases in the Asian region,” the MMDA chief said.
Now on its 9th year, the 2014 Countermeasures to Combat Infectious Diseases in Asia forum will focus on relevant programs to control five infectious diseases in the region that seemed on the outbreak in recent years – the Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB), HIV/AIDS, Dengue, Leptospirosis, and Pandemic Influenza.
Tolentino said each member-city of ANMC 21 will present recent medical updates and current policies to combat the further outbreak of infectious diseases and discuss possible joint research and surveys.
“To foster learning and exchange of ideas, we will also invite selected guests with knowledge and expertise on the topics to provide additional insights into the trends, policies, challenges, and innovative actions against infectious diseases,” Tolentino pointed out.
ANMC21, which organizes the annual ACMC and the Countermeasures to Combat Infectious Diseases in Asia, is an organization of Asia’s largest capital cities working together on issues such as urban planning, sustainability, and crisis management. It was advocated by then Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara in August 2000.
ANMC21 member-cities are Bangkok, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Metropolitan Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Tomsk, Ulaanbaatar, and Yangon.