Iloilo Medical Society

It is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome you all to the 21st IMS Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting 2023. While the World Health Organization has recently ended the global emergency status of COVID-19 pandemic, it does not mean that we have completely eradicated this health menace that killed more than 6.9 million people worldwide. We still have observed sporadic increase of cases and we are just thankful that the recent predominant strains are not as dangerous and deadly as compared to its Delta variant.

 

With health precautions in mind, we are still conducting this year’s convention virtually. We initially thought of conducting this activity as hybrid --- both face-to-face and virtual, but it was not pushed through because of the difficult and uncertain logistics. Hopefully, with everyone’s help and cooperation, we will be more prepared and confident next year to conduct this as a full face-to-face activity.

 

The theme of this year’s convention is: “Challenges and Opportunities in Health Care.” The scientific committee has prepared important and relevant topics in various fields of medicine that will surely help us as we face the challenges in our medical practice post-pandemic. We need to realize that for each of this challenge comes opportunities for learning that will equip us in our formidable task to promote good health, prevent and treat diseases that continue to plague us and create significant havoc in our health care system. With the virtual setup, our distinguished speakers are not only limited to local experts because we were able to conveniently invite foreign speakers as well. Certainly, the scientific sessions and symposia will be another great and comprehensive learning opportunities to us all!

 

Let me thank the IMS Board and the chairpersons of various committees who had spent invaluable time and exerted so much effort in making this IMS Annual Convention a great success. My gratitude goes also to all the IMS members who participated in this activity and to all our pharmaceutical partners who continue to support us through the years.

 

God bless us all!