Page 4 - The 31st Annual Academic Meeting

Message from the Director General,
Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health

Dear distinguished guests and colleagues,

It is with much pleasure that I have the opportunity to welcome this distinguished
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gathering in the 31 Annual Academic Meeting of Rajavithi Hospital (31 AAM-RH) held
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during 19 -21 February, 2020 at Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, THAILAND.

In reference to a VUCA world, the world has been changing rapidly through 4
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megatrends namely 5 stage of the Demographic Transition, environmental challenges,
technology disruption and multiple lines of geopolitical contradictions. All these trends play
major implications for population health. Therefore, in health sector, more strategic actions
are needed in the preparation for prompt response health system at the national level.

The Department of Medical Services is the national body responsible for the health
service system development in Thailand. Rajavithi Hospital is one of the super-tertiary care
and center of excellence which serves Thailand’s UHC implementation. It is obliged to support
provincial tertiary hospitals as a central hospital of the referral system of the country. The
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal, places health and well-being at the heart
of all strategies. ‘We, as the community of human resource for health, would make sure people
have the support and care they need, with the compassion, respect and dignity they deserve.’
This is the reason we set “Sustainable Health and Well-Being” as the theme for this year.

I strongly believe that focusing on sustainable health and well-being would bring about
a better way of addressing much and more long-standing pain and problems as well as getting
them understood in a broader perspective. This conference will be marked with the initial start
of us to save more lives and prepare for better and resilient health system for all in the future.
I wish you a successful meeting and, more importantly, put it into your work for the mankind.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all members of the organizing committees
for their great contributions to this important conference. My A special appreciation would also
go to all speakers for your invaluable contributions. I wish you, all, every success in this event.

(Somsak Akksilp, MD)
Director General, Department of Medical Services,
Ministry of Public Health

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