Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology

Report 2001

I.	PREAMBLE
	This Annual Report of the Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2001.
II.	MEMBERSHIP
	The Association's membership consisted of the following national societies/bodies of the Asian Pacific region: Bangladesh Gastroenterological Society Gastroenterological Society of Australia Gastroenterological Society of Singapore Hong Kong Society of Gastroenterology Indian Society of Gastroenterology Indonesian Society of Gastroenterology Korean Society of Gastroenterology Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology & Hepatology New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology Pakistan Society of Gastroenterology and GI Endoscopy Philippine Society of Gastroenterology The Chinese Society of Gastroenterology The Chinese Taiwan Gastroenterological Society The Gastroenterological Association of Thailand The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology Vietnam Society of Gastroenterology Gastroenterological & Digestive Endoscopy Society of Sri Lanka
1.	The following were the Council Members for the 2001 session:-
	Professor Shiu Kum Lam Professor Kwong Ming Fock Professor Ken Kimura Dr. Wai Mo Hui Professor Ding Shinn Chen Professor Hardjodisastro Daldiyono Professor Pinit Kullavanijaya Professor Jose Sollano Professor Neville Yeomans Professor Geoffrey Farrell Dr. Roland Chong Professor A K Azad Khan Professor Masaki Kitajima Dr. Mark Lane Professor Sill Moo Park Professor Rakesh Tandon Professor Shu Dong Xiao Dr. M. Aslam Baloch Professor Xuan Huyen Nguyen Professor Janaka de Silva Professor Khean Lee Goh		President Vice-President Secretary-General Treasurer Chairman, Programme Advisory Committee Chairman, Ethics Committee Chairman, International Liaison Committee Chairman, Awards Committee Chairman, Education & Research Committee APDW President 2001 Member Member Member Member Member Member Co-opted Member Co-opted Member Co-opted Member Co-opted Member Representative, Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology			Hong Kong Singapore Tochigi Hong Kong Taipei Jakarta Bangkok Manila Victoria Sydney Singapore Colombia Tokyo Auckland Seoul New Delhi Shanghai Karachi Hanoi Ragama Kuala Lumpa
2.	During the year, the Council had two Council Meetings, an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and two APDW Steering Committee Meetings
III.	APAGE INCORPORATION
	The Association was incorporated in Hong Kong on 16 June, 2001 as a limited company, The Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Limited or Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Chapter 32). The Association’s Headquarters including its Permanent Secretariat and the Treasury were also located in Hong Kong in a shared office with the Hong Kong Society of Gastroenterology (Address: Room 1203 Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong), thanks to the President and Members of this Society for the goodwill extended to APAGE for the free use of its Secretariat Office for 2001.
IV.	MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
	The Annual General Meeting held on September 23, 2001 approved the Association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association which incorporated the proposed amendments to the APAGE By-Laws.
V.	INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL CONFERENCE
	APAGE was well represented in international/regional meetings conducted during the year such as DDW and UEGW held respectively in May and October in U. S. A. and Europe.
	Asia Pacific Digestive Week (APDW)
	The first APDW was hosted in Sydney from September 23 to 27, 2001 by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA). Many formal and informal accolades had signalled the success of the scientific programme and the meeting as a whole. Aspects such as keypad sessions, case-based discussions, lively debate, young investigator presentations and workshops were greatly appreciated by the 1800 or so registrants. Participants found the CME Postgraduate Course on Advances in Management of Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease very informative and the free papers and posters exceptional. The programme tackled a diverse range of issues: in addition to the expected emphasis on new developments from research and improved standards of clinical care, technological expertise, human and public health featured prominently. A large panel of speakers from within and outside the Asia-Pacific region seemed to all put their best foot forward. The biopharmaceutical industry was enormously supportive of APDW. These included the four principal sponsors Astra-Zeneca, Glaxo-Smith-Kline, Hofmann La-Roche and Novartis and many other companies and exhibitors. Another aspect of industry support was to embed the symposia initiated by principal sponsors within the timetable of APDW, rather than append them as satellite meetings. The spirit of this first APDW was amicable, friendly, conducive to open discussion and warm. APDW would strengthen communication and cooperation between countries in the future.
VI.	APAGE MEETING
A.	Council Meeting
	Chaired by Professor S K Lam, two Council Meetings were held on March 16 and September 25 in Hong Kong and Sydney respectively. The meetings discussed and/or endorsed a number of issues such as APAGE incorporation, APDW One-day Postgraduate Course during the World Congress of Gastroenterology in Bangkok, APDW future developments, training and education, enhancement of communication with the biomedical industry (BMI) etc. The meeting in Hong Kong was held at the Office of the Association’s Permanent Secretariat.
B.	APDW Steering Committee Meeting
	Two APDW Steering Committees were held during the year. The first meeting was in the year 2000 in Shanghai. The second meeting with representatives of the regional bodies: Asian Pacific Association for the Study of Liver (APASL), International Society for Digestive Surgery (ISDS) and Asian Pacific Society o f Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE) was in May, 2001 during the Atlanta Digestive Disease Week. The meeting agreed amongst a number of issues, APDW would be an event supported by the regional bodies represented and decide collectively on conference venue. Representatives present considered Singapore an ideal venue for hosting APDW2003. A third meeting attended also by representatives of the three regional bodies was held on September 25, 2001. This 2½-hour meeting was very useful and constructive and a close follow-up to the first meeting. A number of major issues including those discussed and initially agreed in May such as the structure of the APDW Steering Committee and its future development, rotating chairmanship, meeting with BMI to solicit financial support, host countries for APDWs in the coming years up to 2006 were considered. Agreement in principle was reached on the point of equal representation in the Steering Committee and as such, future APDWs. The Meeting awarded APDW2003 to the Gastroenterological Society of Singapore.
C.	Annual General Meeting
	The Annual General Meeting was held on September 23, 2001 at 1:00 p.m. at Mezzanine Level Hall 5, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. 18 representatives from 13 Member Societies attended. Members endorsed the Annual Report for 2000, the Memorandum and Articles of Association for The Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Limited. The Treasurer Report for 2000 together with a budget statement were presented. Members were informed with the incorporation of APAGE and the opening of its Hong Kong bank accounts in 2001, yearly audited statements would be made available to all in future.
D.	Meeting with the Biomedical Industry
	Medical congresses were considered an indispensable and effective platform for dissemination of scientific knowledge and exchange of experience in clinical research and development. The success of a medical congress would depend largely on a partnership between the organizers, the delegates and the sponsoring companies who directly or indirectly funded the event for successful future APDWs. To enhance the relationship between APAGE / APDW and BMI, two good meetings were held to discuss matters of mutual concern and interests. These included important discussion and exchange of views on such items as the exhibits, symposia, sponsorship status, seed funding, conference venues and time, consultations and feedback, open and transparent APDWs etc.
VII.	MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
A.	APAGE Web Page The APAGE website www.apage.org was launched in March 2001. The launch represented another milestone in the advancement of APAGE. The quick, easy and ready access to information exchange and dissemination would further enhance the relationship and communication among member societies and regional bodies in digestive health and draw the parties closer towards collaboration and unity. This website which aimed at promoting and developing digestive health in the Asian Pacific region and beyond had a three-fold objective: 1. To serve as a quick and effective means of communication among member societies and regional bodies 2. To enable information exchange and dissemination to take place most readily and speedily 3. To reach out to world gastroenterological associations, concerned groups and individuals with a view to obtaining material, feedback or suggestions, professional and general with a view to achieving its intended purpose. The number of people visiting and utilizing this website was increasing.
B.	Asia Pacific Digestive News The newsletter, first published in November 1999 as Asian Pacific Gastroenterology News with the support of APAGE, had recently received further support this year from APASL and APSDE. Issues 6 and 7 were published in May and September respectively in 2001. In addition to specialty issues, the newsletter gave considerable coverage: background information, presentations, interviews etc. of the international and regional conferences which took place in the year under report, an important one being the first and very successful APDW 2001 occurring between September 23 to 27 in Sydney, Australia.
C.	APDW2003 This would be held in April 12-16, 2003 at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SICEC), Suntee City, Singapore.
D.	Application for New Membership An application for new membership was received from Professor Khin Maung Win, President of Myanmar GI and Liver Society in Burma.
VIII.	ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Council expressed gratitude to the Hong Kong Society of Gastroenterology for generously donating 25% of the surplus derived from the International Asian Pacific Congress of Gastroenterology held in March, 2000. This sum which amounted to US$96,500 would be used as future seed funding and for the Association’s scientific education and research. The Council expressed gratitude to the following benefactors of the first APDW in Sydney for their great support and generous contributions:
	Principal Sponsor AstraZeneca F. Hoffmann-La Roche GlaxoSmithKline Novartis	Gold Sponsor Pharmacia Schering-Plough Wyeth-Lederle		Silver Sponsor Olympus Solvay Pharmaceuticals	Other Sponsor Boston Scientific Enterix Given Imaging W. L. Gore Med-E-Serv