Ear, Nose Throat Doctors At Brunei Talks
By CT Hj Mahmod

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei will be expecting around 700 local and foreign medical experts in Ear, Nose Throat (ENT) to attend the 10th ASEAN ORL Head and Neck Congress from January 27 to 29 at the International Convention Centre (ICC), which the Ministry of Health will host for the first time.

The three-day congress which will feature the theme 'Otorhinolarynigology: Promoting and Strengthening Regional Partnership' will focus on all aspects of Otorhinolaryngology that includes problems with ear, nose and throat.

About 100 lecturers in this specialised field, including lecturers from ASEAN and European countries including from the United Kingdom, the United States as well as from other Asian countries Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, are expected to present their papers during the congress.

Dr. Zulkarnian Hj Hanafi, Otolaryngologist at Hospital RIPAS, in his capacity as the Co-Chairman 10th ASEAN ORL, disclosed this during a press conference held yesterday at the Ministry of Health.

Also present during the press conference yesterday was Hj Mahdi Abd. Rahman, Director of Policy and Planning at Hospital RIPAS cum Co-Chairman of 10th ASEAN ORL, senior officials at MOH, as well as members of the organising committee.

The congress will consist of 10 plenary sessions, symposia, and also other instructional sessions. Proposed topics during the plenary sessions include Advances in Nasopharyngeal Cancer, current status of implant Otology, Sleep Medicine, Rhinology, Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery and Evidence based Medicine.

Numerous interesting symposia on various topics will touch on other aspects of Otorhinolarygology Head and Neck Surgery, such as the use of lasers and imaging in ENT, management of difficult airways, BAHA and discussions of economics and ethical issues in ENT.

Meanwhile the instructional sessions will involve demonstrations of various techniques - digital photodocumentation and surgical.

Since the inception of the ASEAN Otorhinolarygological Head and Neck Federation in 1981, in Indonesia, the federation has now reached the stage of a full 10-country membership, which Brunei joined in 1984.

This is the first time in the federation's history that all 10 ASEAN countries will be present in this important biennial congress.

In conjunction with the 10th ASEAN ORL Head and Neck Congress, a two-day Pre Congress and a one-day Post Congress Workshop and Instructional Courses, will be held on January 25 to26 and on January 30.

The Pre and Post Congress Workshop is expected to take place at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Hospital RIPAS, and ICC, which is open not only to surgeons but also general practitioners as well as nurses. And they will discuss also the topic of Temporal Bone Course, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, Advances in the Management of Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Allergy, Sleep disorders, Access and reconstruction in Head and Neck Surgery, Laser and Phonosurgery.

The 10th ASEAN ORL Head and Neck Surgery, is aimed at giving the opportunity to the medical experts from ASEAN countries as well as other countries, to share their knowledge and experience.

It is hoped that the congress will overcome current medical problems with the use of advanced technology that is the core of the discussion. With this, the knowledge and experience acquired will benefit Brunei in enhancing medical services.

For registration and more information, those interested can visit www.bruneiorl.com.

Brudirect.com