Oka will be in the country to conduct a presentation on HIV clinical research to medical professionals, researchers and members of the community on September 10, at 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the MCS Conference Room in Malakal.
According to Temmy Temengil, Health Planning and Development Coordinator of MOH, the Ministry has invited Oka to do the presentation at the same time, they are collaborating with him to “build capacity and promote medical research in the country.”
“We want to create a new research department in the Ministry of Health,” Temengil said. “And we are hoping that Dr. Oka could help us with it. We want to build our own research laboratory because most of our laboratory works are still done off island.”
Temengil added that they will seek Oka’s advice on how the Ministry can develop its own research department and maybe build a network with their medical experts in Japan.
“The MOH is just reactive right now,” Temengil said. “We want to be proactive. We don’t want to just cure and treat people’s illnesses, we want to know what cause them.”
The MOH is working on developing the research component in the hospital, Temengil said. “So we’re hoping that Dr. Oka will be able to advise us on what needs to be done.”
He added that the HIV research in Palau is untapped, “Who knows there’s something in the environment in Palau that could make a difference in the HIV research. Right now we don’t know that, there’s no evidence to write into paper because we don’t have the equipment to collect the data and support it.”
Oka will arrive in Palau on September 6. He’s part of the delegation from the Ludovit Kanta Society, a group of Japanese who have followed and promoted the work and art of Ludovit Kanta, a world-renown cello artist.
“This group has provided numerous music performances and educational opportunities in Japan and throughout the world,” Temengil said. The HIV presentation will be followed by a cello concert at 6:30pm at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Center.
“Mr. Kanta will be performing with a Japanese pianist, Aya Tsurumi, who is also well known in the Japanese classical music community,” Temengil added.
Doctors and nurses, pharmacists, health workers and the community are invited to witness the HIV presentation. The presentation and the concert are free and open to the public. Both events aim to promote Japan-Palau relations and increased health understanding throughout the islands.
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