Dr KK Aggarwal appointed as President of Confederation of Medical Associations of Asia and Oceania

Dr KK Aggarwal takes over in this capacity from Dr Ravindran Naidu, Past President at 34th CMAAO General Assembly and 55th Council Meeting

Dr KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) has been elected as the new President of the Confederation of Medical Association of Asia and Oceania (CMAAO) for 2019/20. He took over in this capacity from Dr Ravindran Naidu, Past President at the 34th CMAAO General Assembly and 55th Council Meeting.

Dr Aggarwal has been the past national president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the first vice president of CMAAO and advisor to the ethics committee, World Medical Association.

Speaking at the event, Dr Aggarwal said, “It is my immense privilege and honour to assume the role of the President of CMAAO for the year 2019/20. Coming to this General Assembly feels like homecoming and a reunion of family as it resonates with my philosophy of life as a student of Vedic literature. In cognisance of the theme of the General Assembly this year – Path to Wellness – ‘One Health’ will be my priority this year. There are several public health challenges today such as vector-borne diseases; communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs); antimicrobial resistance (AMR); tobacco use; HIV/AIDS, etc. Violence against doctors and inequity in health are few other issues that are a concern. Attaining universal health coverage, which is affordable, accessible, available, appropriate and accountable, remains a distant goal for many of us. This can only be addressed and prioritised when we consider the concept of ‘One Health’.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “Many of our member countries have successfully met some public health challenges. These achievements should not only inspire us to accomplish these goals, but also to help each other to attain them. For the success of CMAAO, let us give 80 seconds every day to the body and share one idea with me to make this year, one of the most vibrant years in the history of the organisation.