WMA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023

Delegates from 49 national medical associations around the world attended the annual General Assembly of the WMA in Kigali, Rwanda from 4 to 7 October. Among the issues discussed were:

Nepal

The recent surge in attacks on physicians and the widespread violence occurring within health institutions in Nepal has been condemned by the World Medical Association. These distressing incidents have posed a significant threat to the safety of healthcare professionals and have the potential to undermine the quality of healthcare services in the country.

Ethical Use of Medical Technology

The World Medical Association is taking a leading role in addressing the ethical implications brought by the rapid advancements in medical technology. Today, WMA announces a revised version of its Declaration on Medical Ethics and Advanced Medical Technology, a landmark initiative underscoring the organization’s dedication to ensuring that medical technology serves humanity with the highest ethical standards.

 Biological Weapons 

WMA aims to strengthen global preparedness and response to health emergencies, counteract biological weapons research, and foster mechanisms to monitor the threat of biological weapons. It comes as a response to the rapid advances in microbiology, molecular biology, and genetic engineering, which have raised concerns about the potential misuse of these technologies for harmful purposes.

New President

Dr. Lujain Alqodmani, a leading public health doctor from Kuwait, was installed as the 74th President of the WMA for 2023-24.She is the first Arab woman to be elected President.

Dr. Ashok Philip, former president of the Malaysian Medical Association, was elected unopposed as President-elect of the WMA. He will take up his post at the WMA’s General Assembly in Helsinki, Finland in October 2024.

Other Policies

Other policies adopted by the Assembly include regulations in times of armed conflict and other situations of violence, Primary Health Care, condemnation of the human rights violations against the Uyghurs and other minorities in China and a statement on human health as a primary policy focus for governments worldwide.