Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-SeniorGeneral Soe Win delivers address at centenary ceremony of No.1 Defence Services Hospital (700-bed), inauguration of Radiotherapy and Cancer Ward, 30th Medical Conference of Myanmar Defence Services Medical Services
Nay Pyi Taw October 2
The centenary ceremony of No. 1 Defence Services Hospital, the inauguration ceremony of the Radiotherapy and Cancer Ward and the 30th Medical Conference of Myanmar Defence Services Medical Services were held at the defence services hospital in PyinOoLwin this morning and Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win graced the ceremonies.
Also present at the ceremonies together with the Vice-Senior General were Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye, Union Minister for Health Professor Dr Thet Khaing Win, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Soe Win, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the chief minister of Mandalay Region, the commander of Central Command and officials, retired senior officers and medics of the defence services medical services, officials from the ministry of health and invited guests.
First, Lt-Gen Ko Ko Oo of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Commander Brig-Gen Kyi Khaing and Director Maj-Gen Ko Ko Lwin of the Directorate of Medical Services opened the centenary ceremony of No.1 Defence Services Hospital (700-bed) by cutting a ribbon.
Then, the Vice-Senior General unveiled the signboard of the centennial of the hospital by pressing a button and posing for documentary photographs together with attendees.
Afterward, the Vice-Senior General unveiled the signboard of inauguration of the Radiotherapy and Cancer Ward in commemoration of the centenary of the hospital by pressing a button.
Then, the Vice Senior General and party sprinkled scented water on the stone inscription marking the inauguration of the ward and inspected the ward while speaking words of encouragement and providing foodstuffs to patients.
Afterward, the Vice – Senior General delivered an address marking the centenary of the hospital and the 30th Medical Conference of the Defence Services Medical Services, saying the ceremony today marked the centenary of No.1 Defence Services Medical Hospital (700-bed), one of the biggest hospitals of the defence services medical services, and as the hospital was founded in 1923 and handed down fine traditions in successive eras, its history peaked at the honorable centenary of the hospital now. Similarly, it is also to be proud that the 30th Medical Conference of the Defence Services disseminated its research activities of the medical services to the international community at the hospital this year.
In retrospect of the long history of the hospital, it was founded as the 25-bed British Military Hospital in PyinOoLwin in 1923 for British military officers only, according to official records.
The hospital was expanded into the 50-bed British hospital in 1931, the 100-bed No.8 Military Hospital in 1943, the No.1 Military (Maymyo) in 1946 and Bamar Tatmadaw Hospital (300-bed) in 1948. In 1953, it was expanded into a regional military hospital (500-bed) and more patients were admitted to the hospital. It was renamed as No.1 Regional Military Hospital (500-bed) in 1963 and it was expanded into a 700- bed regional military hospital in 1986 and was renamed as No.1 Defence Services Hospital (700-bed) in 2002. The hospital was reformed by adding more departments in 2016, 2020 and 2022.
There were only 21 buildings including six administrative buildings, 10 patient wards and five staff quarters at the hospital when it was founded but the number of buildings has increased to 176 buildings including 31 administrative buildings, 38 patient wards, and 107 staff quarters.
As the number of buildings at the hospital has increased, the performance of the hospital has improved step by step.
Although general treatment could be given when the hospital was founded, advanced treatments can be given step by step thanks to successive efforts.
Distinctive performances of the hospital included the inauguration of the renal and urinal tract department in 1998, providing 19,250 blood purifications for more than 7,000 patients.
Moreover, it was found that gastroscopy diagnoses and treatments of digestive and food tract diseases have been conducted since 1998. It was also found that surgical operations were conducted on 9,930 bile gallstone patients including 1,194 patients who required gallstone removal surgery by the laparoscope. The department for heart diseases was opened in 2008 and tests have been conducted on 1,585 patients for performance of hearts and vasoconstriction and 355 vasoconstriction patients have been given treatments..
As for the renal and urinary tract surgery a total of 1,974 patients have been given treatments including 38 patients who required renal transplantation. The department of brain and neurosurgery have conducted emergency neurosurgical operations on 781 patients successfully.
The injury and orthopedic department have conducted surgical operations on 6,153 patients successfully including 2,684 major surgeries and 3,469 minor surgeries. The diagnosis department has conducted diagnosis tests on12,248 patients including 7,669 patients by using CT Scans and 2,310 patients by MRI Scans.
Moreover, the hospital has delivered 31,071 babies since it was founded and as it can help deliver the babies safely, it has been able to save numerous lives and help cultivate valuable offspring for the country.
The centenary of the hospital is being held in conjunction with the opening of the 30th Medial Conference of the Defence Services Medical Services.
Since it was founded, the defence services medical corps conducted diagnosis and treatments as well as medical research. Such medical research activities were started in 1990 and it has been the 30th time since the first medical conference of the defence services medical conference was held. It was also found that the medical contents discussed at such medical conferences have progressed in accordance with contemporary medical science. It is a proud historical milestone of the defence services medical services that 1,544 papers, 920 posters and 231 talks have been submitted during its 30 years of history.
Applying the findings from research works in diagnosis, treatment and control of diseases benefited the Tatmadaw and the State. Especially, research findings in the COVID-19 pandemic could be efficiently used in the prevention, searching and treatment measures, securing great success.
The 30th Myanmar Tatmadaw Medical Conference will be held under the title of enhancing capacity of Tatmadaw medical professionals in changes of health system. All participants have to exchange their experiences and views under the title.
In this regard, the State Administration Council adopted and is implementing five-point roadmap and nine objectives.
The medical conference and the cancer radiation treatment ward will contribute to the health sector of the people and knowledge development of medical professionals in line with the social objectives: to implement a universally accessible and comprehensive education system in order to enhance the knowledge and skills base for the nation and nurture skilled technicians for the manufacturing sector and to elevate the health and sports sectors crucial for all the people, thus improving the nation’s life expectancy and health.
Moreover, the newly-opened cancer radiation treatment ward will much contribute to the health care service sector of the people.
The conference schedules reading of 72 research papers, 112 research posters, 32 talks and other plans. These papers and posters will feature AI technology, infectious and non-infectious diseases, nutrition research measures, transplantation of human organs, rehabilitation medical technology, advanced cancer therapies, and field medical coverage researches.
Researchers from Tatmadaw Medical Research Unit, Defence Services Medical Academy, Defence Services Institute of Nursing and Paramedical Science, military hospitals and battalions of the Medical Corps are conducting medical research at international level to contribute to healthcare services for Tatmadaw members and people.
The Medical Services Corps was born in the independence struggle. So, it turns 76 on 1 October this year. Members of the Medical Services Corps dutifully served the State duties in respective sectors. They significantly performed the medical services to Tatmadaw members at frontlines in the military operations of the Tatmadaw.
Those from the No. 1 Military Hospital (700-bed) in PyinOoLwin made sacrifices at Kunlong 40-day battle, Pagyo-Naphaw battle, Lupi-Lajayang battle, Laukkai-Monekoe battle with sacrifice of life and limbs in performing medical treatment to the Tatmadaw members of the frontlines of the operations.
It can be seen that those medical services gave healthcare services to Tatmadaw members, families and local people at hospitals and medical battalions across the nation in addition to the field medical duties. As such, the Tatmadaw established various levels of hospitals (25- bed) to the general hospitals (100-bed) in necessary areas.
In this regard, the health and disease control unit was formed for control of diseases where specialty hospitals were also formed as Defence Services Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital, Defence Services Liver SpecialtyHospital, and Rehabilitation Hospital. Moreover, hospitals were upgraded for treatment of diseases. So far, four hospitals was upgraded to provide kidney transplant treatment, one hospital for liver transplant treatment, four hospitals for cardiovascular treatment, two hospitals for cardiac surgery and five more for gastro-intestinal treatment.
In so doing, the Tatmadaw can give treatments on kidney transplant, cardiac, neurological and chest treatments keeping abreast of international medical services. It needs to take pride in successfully performing liver transplant treatments eight times a year.
At present, international community as well as Myanmar is facing declining of human resources for health due to outbreak of COVID-19. After 1 February 2021, public health servants abandoned workplaces.
So, number of health staff declined across the nation.
So, Tatmadaw hospitals and battalions including No. 1 Military Hospital (700-bed) beefed up their capacity for providing health care to people instead of declined health staff. So far, they have treated 510,363 outpatients and 155,217 inpatients till September 2023.
Tatmadaw is striving to turn out human resources to serve duties at hospitals and units across the nation. So, DSMA, DSINPS and Tatmadaw medical training schools are producing medical doctors and nurses continuously.
The Tatmadaw has conducted 16 post-graduate diploma courses, 27 masters’ of medical courses and 34 doctoral courses. As such, the Tatmadaw has produced 4,845 medical graduates, 89 dental degree, 590 diploma holders, 2,782 MMedsc graduates, 50 masters’ of dental medicine, and 421 doctoral degrees. Medical personnel were sent abroad to learn advanced medical education, and a total of 40 MMedSc degrees, 24 doctoral degrees and 227 royal physician degrees from international universities.
Like DSMA, Defence Services Institute of Nursing and Paramedical Science conducts seven nursing and medical diplomas,six nursing and medical postgraduate diplomas and three doctoral courses. As such, the institute has turned out 4,158 nursing and skilled staff, 526 postgraduate diploma holders, 641 master graduates and 30 doctoral degree holders. Moreover, nurses and skilled staff were sent to foreign countries and five trainees obtained master’s graduates and two doctoral degree holders.
These academies continue providing practical medical education to trainees and graduate officers at military general hospitals including No.1 Military Hospital (700-bed).
So, it is designed to develop medical human resources crucial for building a standard army and for contributing much to health care services to Myanmar people.
As infectious and non-infectious diseases break out across the world, cancer is one of the noninfectious diseases. Some 60 percent of cancer diseases need to receive radiation treatment.
As radiation treatment requirements for cancer patients is gradually increasing, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, since the time of taking duties of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, installed Linear Accelerators (LA) and modern treatment buildings at military hospitals. Although such linear accelerators were used at No. 2 Military Hospital (500-bed) in Yangon and No. 2 Military Hospital (700-bed) in Aungban in the past, No. 1 Military Hospital (700-bed) in PyinOoLwin can now give treatment to patients with the use of similar machine. Thanks to these machinery, such cancer radiation treatment ward will be reliable for Tatmadaw members, families and people in upper Myanmar.
Moreover, there is a high-level radiation treatment machine called Cyberknife at No.2 Defence Services Hospital in the country. Today, four large hospitals will be able to provide complete cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation treatment, and treatment with cancer drugs. Because cancer treatment activities are in conjunction with research, there is a need to constantly examine cancer research information from four major military hospitals.
Additionally, if combined with cancer research information conducted by the Ministry of Health, it will enhance the quality of research on cancer.
Through this, Myanmar's cancerrelated diseases will be more effectively diagnosed, treated, and prevented.
Research results on health internationally are on the rise annually, so we need to continuously exchange experiences with international organizations and improve our country's healthcare services.
Medical Services will see that public-welfare medical services have been actively involved not only in normal times but also in times of natural disasters.
A total of 41,063 patients in the Ayeyawady and Yangon Regions were treated by five specialized medical teams in the cyclone Nargis that hit the country in 2008. Similarly, in 2010 when the cyclone Giri happened, three specialized medical teams were able to provide medical treatment to a total of 3,694 patients in Rakhine State. In the floods that occurred in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020, 43 specialized medical teams were able to provide healthcare to 57,609 flood victims.
After the cyclone Mocha broke out this year, two specialized medical teams and ten relief teams from the medical corps were sent to 8 townships in Rakhine State. They steadfastly took treatment and preventive measures for a total of 28,349 local people. Since 2010, mobile medical services have been accelerated to help the public coordinate health care services. To do so, the Tatmadaw purchased six medical vehicles, a specialized laboratory vehicle, a marine hospital vessel, and a river-going hospital vessel.
The medical staff have also been able to work efficiently for the people during the COVID-19 global pandemic. They provided treatment for the COVID patients in Mandalay at No.1 Defence Services Hospital (Bed-700). In addition, they were able to provide COVID-19 diagnosis through a modern diagnostic method, PCR. Additionally, I would like to express my honor to them for being able to participate in the vaccination processes for the prevention of the disease.
Medical Corps have also visited remote areas of Chin State and Naga Self-Administered Zone in the service of public welfare medical treatment. Since 2016, specialists and medical officers have been dispatched to those regions four times.
And now, for the fourth time, 18 specialists/medical officers are providing healthcare for their national brethren. At the first time, there were 202,332 local people, 171,084 in the second, and 93,600 in the third, totalling 467,016. It indicates that effective healthcare has been provided, and that the Tatmadaw is always taking precedence over the importance of the national people.
For those medical personnel who have served at No.1 Defence Services Hospital (Bed-700) over a period of 100 years, 31 have received a Tatmadaw gold jubilee medal and 112 diamond jubilee medal. Moreover, there were awarded certificates of honor presented by the Commander-in-Chief Defence Services and one a hero certificate.
Thus, in making energetic efforts to provide healthcare and take preventive measures for Tatmadaw members and their families throughout the history of the State's independence struggle and throughout the nation building period over the past 100 years, specialists, medical officers, nurses and other technicians from No.1 Defence Services Hospital (Bed-700) deserve praise and honor.
The hospital is now 100 years old, and throughout those 100 years, all medical professionals and staff have been efficient in serving the interests of the country and the people and the Tatmadaw. Just as the 100-yearold
historic buildings in the hospital are being maintained, efforts must be made to make constant use of modern technologies.
Even so, medical research findings to be discussed by the 30th Myanmar Tatmadaw Medical Symposium will have to be reused in the realm of practice. Medical personnel need to make continued efforts to improve their capacity to provide healthcare and medical protection for Tatmadaw members and their families as well as the people while maintaining such good traditions. He then expressed wishes for the hospital to continue its existence from the 100th anniversary to many more years to come.
After that, the Vice-Senior General presented a prize to a commemorative award-winning officer, and Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye to a commemorative award-winning other rank.
Then the video commemorating the 100th anniversary of the hospital was shown, and famous artists and medical staff performed with songs.
After that, the Director of Medical Services presented a commemorative gift to the Vice-Senior General.
Later, the Vice-Senior General cordially greeted the retired medical personnel in attendance, and viewed the posters on the previous seminars, booths showing medicines and medical equipment and other commemorative booths.