Bangkok, Thailand:

There was an annual meeting of ET association of Thailand in Bangkok on 29 and 30 th November 2012 which was attended by 300 ETs and stoma care nurses from all across Thailand. It was organised in Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.The president of ET association of Thailand is Ms Yuwadee Kestsumpun.

Since Ms Louise Forrest Lalande  and I were scheduled to do “ Lions for Stoma Care “ training (along with Prof. Carlo Pezcoller in Manila, Philippines from 3 rd December to 7 th December), both of us were invited to speak at Bangkok ET meeting. I spoke on “ Current Status of Stoma Care in Asia “ and Mrs Louise spoke on “Current Guidelines in Wound care in Canada and how that can be used in Thailand “. Both lectures were well received by all the participants. Conferance was of very high standard with good papers.

We also had meeting with Dr Darin , a senior most Colorectal Surgeon in Siriraj hospital for discussion on having an active ostomy support group in that hospital & in Bangkok. Both Dr Darin and Ms Yuwadee Kestsumpun , a senior most ET in that hospital were not very keen on
starting a support group locally. That hospital has an active stoma clinic which is run by four ETs and is well attended by many ostomates. They have local training for general nurses in  Stoma Care. There are only 10-15 WCET certified ETs in Thailand but they have trained about 300 nurses in Stoma care.

We had dinner with core group of ETs & Stoma nurses from different regions and hospitals of Thailand including few Colorectal Surgeons & Ostomates in the same evening organised by Ms Chutima Chaweewan, Sales & Marketing Manager of local Coloplast Distrbutor, Pacific Health Care and her local team & Mr Eric Chan of Coloplast, Hong Kong.

During the dinner one of the ET Nurse Ms Siriluck,from Chiengmai hospital (Email:siriluck05@yahoo.com) is keen to start an ostomy patient support group locally. This is about 8oo KM north of Bangkok.
We had some local tour of Bangkok organised by Ms Chutima and  Mr Eric. We visited some of the most ancient Buddhist temples including of most famous reclining Buddha.

I had meeting next day at 7-00am at the Bangkok airport for an hour (before I flew off to Manila) with Mrs Akariya Samahaputra, General Secretary of Thailand Ostomy Foundation ( TOF ). We had good discussion about current state of TOF & how they work & their future plan of activities including joining as a new member of ASPOA. She told me that Mr Sanan Silapabanleang is still president & Dr Kiti Chindavijak is vice president of TOF. They have 12 EC members & 3000 ostomates in Thailand. She told me that they have regular meetings of TOF in different parts of the country & Chiengmai group always sends their representative and a nurse to their meetings. She also wants us to help them in Cheingmai to start a local
ostomy support group.

I was very pleased to meet with Mrs Akaariya to re establish contact with TOF. Hopefully they will soon join ASPOA.

Manila, Philippines:
Dr Rami Roxas ( Dr Manuel Francis Roxas ) & ET Mr Rhyan Hitalla from Manila had organized a training course for 30 general nurses in Stoma & wound care under the project “  Lions for Stoma Care “ ( LFSC ) of Lions Clubs of district 108Tb of Modena, Italy. Prof Carlo Pezcoller, Mrs Louise Forrest Lalande & I were the teachers from InternationalTraveling Teaching Team of LFSC & there were many local doctors & nurses as local teachers. This was organized in The Medical City Hospital, Manila, Philippines from 3 rd to 7 th December 2012.It was a very good training course after which 26 nurses graduated from this course. 

There were many interactive sessions with participants & teachers. We trained them in various topics in Anatomy and Physiology of G.I & G.U.Tract , pathology of these systems, Indications for stoma surgery, correct technique of creating stoma, Dietary advise, Rehabilitation of ostomates, Pathlogy of Stoms, Ostomy associations local & world, Visitors training, Sexuality and ostomates, Nurses role in stoma care, WCET, Ostomy Product selections,Psychosocial issues , Irrigation etc.

They looked after us very well & we had comfortable & enjoyable stay in Manila. They also took us around to see historical places in manila as well.Of course we had tour of the Medical City Hospital & Stoma Clininc run byan ET Mr Rhyan Hitalla. We also had visit to Phlippines General Hospital ( PGH ) which is about 120 years 2000 beded hospital ( Built by Americans & Japanese Government ) run by Government and Medical University of Philippines. We interacted with only other ET Mrs Nelda Escueta in PGH in Manila. She was
the first ET trained of Philippines & Mr Rhyan Hitalla is the second one.

We visited Dr Rami’s Colorectal surgery Department in the surgical indoor ward as well. Local Coloplasts manager Mrs Sherry Claire F Atento,( Pacific Health Care) and her team arranged local logistics for us.
We were very pleased with the out- come of the LFSC course

Hong Kong :
I visited Hong Kong after Manila. I had lovely dinner with Mr. Patrick Wong & Ms Elaine Chug on the day of my arrival in Hong Kong.
Next day I had meeting with ostomates where I shared my experience as an ostomate for last 36 years with about 20 Ostomates. This was an interactive session. It went well. After the lunch with the EC members of Hong Kong Stoma Association we went to HKSA office.

We had long discussion for about 3 hrs on how to plead with Hong Kong legislative body next day in getting ostomates certified as disabled so that they can get financial aids to get ostomy supplies. We went through lots of rules & regulations of Hong Kong government and directives of HK legislative from 2006 till date. I had offered to present their case but  according to local regulations only locals can do that in legislative meetings to address the legislators. 

Finally the vice president agreed with our strategy to present their case. I took some pictures with them & also some pictures of likely person from HKSA in 1993-1994 who might have represented HK in Historic AOA formation meeting in Hong Kong.

Local Coloplast team led by Mr. Eric Chan & Ms Elaine Chug hosted me for a tea party in their office and also for lunch & local touristy places. It was a very fruitful meeting and renewal of my friendship with lot of local ostomates and EC members plus Coloplast team members.