As many as 167 research proposals will be examined during the 60th Armed Forces Medical Conference, which gets underway at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) from Tuesday.

The four–day conference is the largest annual medical conference of the Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS) with the participation of doctors of the army, navy and air force, dental surgeons of the AFMS, and nurses of the military nursing service. The conference will provide a forum for discussions on important health policy issues, including meeting the challenges for the AFMS.

The AFMC enters the golden jubilee year of its undergraduate wing and the highlight of this year’s conference is the 50th meeting of the Armed Forces Medical Research Committee (AFMRC), the apex body which guides research in the medical services of the armed forces.

The AFMRC will examine 167 research proposals to identify the ones which would add to the quality of medical care and have a far–reaching impact on the medical care needs of the armed forces. Issues relating to care in combat situations and those having a critical role in the health and fitness of the soldier would receive particular emphasis for research projects.

The conference will be inaugurated by Lt Gen H L Kakria, senior colonel commandant of the AMC. The director generals of the medical service of the three services, the Dental Corps and the head of the MNS will be among the dignitaries participating in the conference.

Other eminent participants would be the director general of the health services (armed forces), the director general overseeing the organisation and personnel functions of the AFMS, commandants of the three premier training institutions — the AMC Centre and College (Lucknow), AFMC (Pune) and Army Hospital (Research and Referral, New Delhi) — and the deputy chief of integrated defence service (medical). The AFMRC would also be attended by senior representatives of the DRDO and professionals from the field of medicine from other organisations.