Prince Khaled Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, will inaugurate the Sixth Annual Conference of Medical Services of the Armed Forces here, Monday. Renowned medical experts from Saudi Arabia, Gulf and international countries will speak on topics such as field medicine, emergency medicine, mental health and social services, management issues and training among other themes related to healthcare and the medical sector. Specialized workshops in fields such as social service, health and psychological disorders and scientific research will also be organized on the sidelines of the two-day conference. The first such conference was organized in 2003 and since then it has become an annual event. Medical experts at the conference will put forward recommendations on a number of healthcare issues. In previous conferences the participants discussed topics such as the need for pre-marital tests for couples, fast-food and its effects on the community, community health, professional ethics, mistreatment of children and parents, home care services, Islamic medicine, optimal use of resources, establishing electronic medical records at medical institutions and the importance of nursing as a profession in Saudi society. The recommendations adopted at earlier conferences were later implemented on a number of important issues including the introduction of a national pre-marital test program in Saudi Arabia. The pre-marital test helps in assessing the general health status of people by detecting infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B. It also helps to screen for hereditary conditions that may affect future offspring such as health disorders like Thalassemia. The tests also can be used to screen for fertility problems. The conference starting Monday seeks to achieve one of the main objectives of the armed forces medical services which is active participation in areas of social development. A number of workshops and seminars will be organized during the conference for women and those interested in learning about healthcare and other social services. The conference is expected to be attended by members of the scientific and healthcare sectors, personnel from operational health and representatives from leading healthcare companies.
