After five years of success in Macau, the Sino-Luso International Medical Forum led a special conference in Oporto, Portugal last week.
In a spirit of scientific training across cultural spectrums, the Sino-Luso International Medical Forum brought together doctors and healthcare professionals from across the Portuguese speaking world for the Oporto seminars—the 33rd such event for Sino-Luso.
One such presenter was current Health Minister of Angola, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo. Dr Sambo commented, “I am so happy to be here and to meet with all the counterparts and especially the dynamic team from Macau, HK and China. I have presented a talk about global health issues, the society, economy and solidarity this morning. Meetings of this kind are so wonderful. We have the opportunity to meet with health leaders and professionals from Europe, Africa and Asia and to discuss the problems we are facing today.”
Dr. Sambo added, “I must say China is doing remarkably well with healthcare. The G20 meetings are seeing health ministers from all over the world meet. This shows China fulfilling its role as a contributor as a responsible global citizen. And, of course, as a beneficiary of development, global health is integral to the G20’s mandate of economic growth. Today we all raise the issues of major disease outbreaks. Nonetheless, an outcome can be ready in the environment of globalization, even development related health issues that are non-communicable are on the increase and cross border in nature. This requires global cooperation and collective action.”
Former Mozambique Prime Minister, Dr. Alberto Vaquina, commented on the Macau presence, “I have extended my invitation to Dr. Manson Fok and Dr. Billy Chan to visit my country Mozambique to visit our ministry of health and health sectors in the near future. We need to tackle global health challenges in a significant way: not just in empty promises.”
Dr. Vaquina, continued, “I see that this forum has grown over the past 5 years to strengthen healthcare and social safety nets between Portuguese speaking countries. For me to attend this Macau based forum in Porto, Portugal is an invaluable opportunity. It educates this main cluster of healthcare professionals.”
President of the Sino-Luso forum, Dr Manson Fok commented, “Thanks to our dedicated counterpart in Porto, Colonel Henrique Morais and Jose Morais from the Prof. Ernesto Morais Foundation, every delegate received our program books and the information about our forum was well received. Over 320 healthcare professionals attended the lectures and symposiums.”
Dr. Fok continued, “Representatives from Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, France and China are all here talking about closer international cooperation to combat major diseases through prevention and control.”
Dr. Fok added, “This is a fantastic meeting. I am very pleased with such a great outcome.”
Dr Billy Chan, Vice President of the forum explained, “Former Portuguese President Ramalho Eanes extended his invitation for the Sino Luso forum delegation to visit Portugal during the signing of the ‘Joint Communique’ on 23rd November 2015. We have also invited Deputy Director of Health Human Resources Centre, Dr Zhang Junhua from National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China and Dr Shirley Shi, General Manager of Chinese Medical Doctors Association in Beijing to attend this important event.”
Dr. Chan continued, “They have met with all the key leaders of the Portuguese and Brazilian Medical Associations for the past few days. We see them talking about future meetings and discussing key agenda items of the current policies delivered by the Chinese government. I can think of very ways to praise the Chinese and Portuguese committees for the astonishing effort over the past five years than to hold this forum here in the beautiful city of Oporto, Portugal. The same is true for the spirit of Macao’s nearly 500 years long role of bridging China with the Portuguese speaking world.”
Dr. Chan added, “Never in my wildest dream could I imagine five years ago that we would be holding such an important forum event here in Oporto. This is immensely satisfying. ”
