Tirana welcomed the 24th Balkan Military Medicine Congress

Published: Wednesday, 01 May 2019 15:04

Two hundred and fifty participants from six member of Balkan Countries have gathered in Tirana for the 24th Congress of Balkan Military Medicine (BMMC), the largest ever organized event in the field of Military Medicine in our country.

The subject of this congress, attended by military doctors from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Turkey, is “The new challenges of Military Medicine”.

The congress opening ceremony was welcomed by Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka, who praised the role of this congress, not only for the development of Military Medicine, but also to strengthen ties between the countries of the region. “Cooperation in the field of medicine among the countries of our region is a necessary requirement to advance the development of Military Medical Science, but also an element that strengthens the links between our countries. In our experience since the '90s, we are pleased to recognize that there has been a progressive and qualitative increase in this cooperation. It has taken the form of trainings and joint-exercises of our medical facilities with the countries of the region. An impressive number of our military personnel have completed trainings and courses in various medical fields in these countries, while a considerable number of our military personnel have been treated for various health problems in medical institutions of your countries.” - said Minister Xhaçka, who thanked Turkey and Greece for the unsparing and overly generous support to our Armed Forces in the field of medicine.

Minister Xhaçka brought to attention the engagement of the Armed Forces during civil emergencies, where doctors or nurses in uniform play an important role. “I believe that today, when the AAF mission is experiencing an important transformation, the doctors’ role becomes more important than ever. In a time of unprecedented peace and cooperation in the history of our region, the AAF along with their traditional mission have taken on another dimension, by undertaking the attributes of an important actor in security matters, which goes beyond the protection of the territorial sovereignty of our states. The Armed Forces are increasingly engaging in facing Civil Emergencies, clearing the territory from ammunition and hazardous materials, and coping with threats that may come from international terrorism. It is a mission that brings them always closer to the community and citizens.”

The Congress, which is to be held from April 30 to May 5, will hold scientific sessions on Military Medicine held by delegations from participating countries, covering specialties such as: Surgery, Ophthalmology, Cardiology and Surgery, Clinical Research, Orthopedics, Clinical Emergencies, Neurology and Mental Health.

The Balkan Military Medical Committee, which organizes this congress, is a multinational initiative aiming to create scientific research among member states’ medical military institutions to exchange ideas and practical experiences in organizing medical support in the army and finding forms and areas of cooperation regarding scientific, training and treatment activities.

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