State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing sent a video message to the 53rd Myanmar Health Research Congress opening ceremony yesterday. The full text of the video message is as follows: —

Everybody, Mingalaba!

First, I would like to extend my greetings and best wishes to all the distinguished guests attending today’s “53rd Myanmar Health Research Congress”. I wish you all peace of mind, good health, and prosperity in every aspect.

The Myanmar Health Research Congress has been held 53 times to conduct health research in Myanmar to keep abreast of other countries.

The first congress was successfully held in 1965. During its early years, only research papers were submitted. However, starting from the Health Research Congress held in 1991, research poster exhibitions were introduced. From the 2002 congress onwards, subject-wise seminars were also incorporated, making the congresses more impactful and extensive.

Research findings based on solid and reliable results emerging from health-related research congresses are instrumental in formulating modern and appropriate health policies for the nation. They also play a significant role in enhancing the effectiveness of healthcare initiatives, ensuring accessible and quality healthcare for everyone, and driving large-scale processes aimed at improving overall public health outcomes.

The theme for the 53rd Myanmar Health Research Congress is reported to be: “Moving forward to a healthy lifestyle and addressing health risk behaviours”. It aims to shed light on the growing significance of non-communicable diseases in the current context.

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with relevant ministries, effectively implemented measures to prevent, control, and treat diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, intending to control the rise of non-communicable diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working together with the Department of Public Health, the Department of Medical Services, the Department of Human Resources for Health, and the Department of Medical Research under the Ministry of Health. They are conducting the “STEP Survey 2024,” a study to assess the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Myanmar.

Especially, our people need to enjoy good health and live long, healthy, and resilient lives. To achieve this, it is necessary to promote the selection and consumption of nutritious and healthy foods, as well as to encourage healthy lifestyles and behaviours. This involves advancing practical health research related to these areas, widely disseminating the findings to the public, and providing knowledge to raise awareness.

Regarding traditional medicine, it is essential to collaborate with senior traditional medicine practitioners and the Department of Traditional Medicine to conduct practical research. This will ensure tangible benefits for the public, strengthen the foundation of our country’s traditional medical practices, and enable traditional medicine products to penetrate the international market by generating more reliable and robust research-based data.

It is essential to make decisions and formulate health policies based on accurate and reliable research findings. Therefore, researchers conducting these studies must fully understand the significance of their findings and consistently adhere to research ethics. This awareness and commitment are crucial at all times.

In our country, it is essential to foster a mindset of thoroughly exploring, studying, and conducting research before undertaking any activities. This means encouraging the emergence of young people and intellectuals with a passion for research. We need to take action to ensure the development of individuals who are committed to research compliant with ethical standards. To achieve this, efforts should be made to establish a thriving research culture in the country, with numerous researchers emerging. This includes systematically reorganizing research advisory committees and enhancing the structure of research ethics boards as needed. Such measures are necessary to promote the growth and sustainability of a research-oriented culture.

The organizing committee for the congress has categorized the research papers submitted into three systematic categories: fundamental research papers, applied research papers, and papers on social and healthcare systems. The committee has reviewed and selected these submissions to ensure they are suitable for presentation during the congress. It has been planned to present 54 research papers and display 43 posters as part of the event.

It is known that the award selection committee has reviewed and chosen the best papers and posters from those submitted to this conference, and there are plans to present awards to recognize and honour them appropriately.

In conclusion, I would like to express my best wishes for success in these efforts to conduct research.

• When conducting health research, prioritize the public benefit by improving the overall health standards of the people. Focus on basic healthcare improvement, promoting healthy living and nutrition, understanding the nature of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and taking proactive measures for prevention. Increase practical research, traditional medicine studies, and international research collaborations to advance these goals.
• The research findings should also be shared with the public promptly through activities such as organizing congresses, publishing research journals, and releasing magazines, in order to inform and alert the public accordingly.
• Similarly, when the public attends and receives treatment at people’s hospitals, efforts should be made to ensure the provision of care that guarantees mental well-being, patient safety, and high-quality medical services. Practical research activities related to medical treatment and hospital management should be enhanced to achieve these objectives.
• Through health research activities, may all of you be able to adopt health policies suitable for our country, ensure that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare, and work towards improving the level of healthcare in our country.
  Thank you, all.

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