Asia is huge — it houses two-thirds of the world’s population. This makes it a great place to conduct research and studies as it is possible to obtain larger sample numbers, which can produce more robust results. More consensus work needs to be done among experts in Asia, who are leaders in their respective fields. Through this work we can form best practice guidelines in many poorly understood aspects of wound care. In our daily practice, we need the management of our patients to be evidence-based to ensure the best clinical outcomes for them.
Learning from the multidisciplinary-team approach
The Wounds Asia editorial board is made up of leading experts from eleven Asian countries, who work in a variety of disciplines. Multidisciplinary teams have long been advocated as the most fruitful approach when it comes providing patient services and solutions in the management of wounds.
This edition of Wounds Asia is particularly important as it coincides with the 2018 Global Wound Conference, held from 21–23 September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The theme of this year’s conference, which has been organised by the Malaysian Society of Wound Care Professionals (MSWCP), is ‘Strengthening the Bond, License to Heal’.
It reiterates the fact that we have to strengthen the bond among the wound care professionals, such as physicians, vascular surgeons, orthopaedics, plastic surgeons, endocrinologists, pharmacists and other allied healthcare personnel. We also have to empower patients and their caregivers and work with industry to gather further support in research and data collection. The sharing of expertise and knowledge, as well as clinical experience, is crucial in enabling healthcare professionals to manage chronic complex wounds with an integrated evidence-based multidisciplinary approach.
Promoting intergovernmental cooperation
To enhance collaboration on wound care issues throughout Asia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Wound Care Summit was held on 20 July 2018 with the aim to promote cooperation and integration among the member nations (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei and Myanmar). The Kuching Declaration 2018 was signed in commemoration of the ASEAN Wound Summit in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Enjoy the conference and look out for the Wounds Asia team on site
At this year’s Global Wound Conference there will be workshops, interactive sessions, and a teleconference and live workshop with Wounds Canada. Debates and panel discussions will bring the audience up-to-date with best practice in managing these debilitating conditions. The Wounds Asia team will be on site, and delegates will be able to pick up a printed copy of the second edition.
I hope everyone attending will benefit from the programme, interact, and share their experiences with the various experts. ‘Wound healing with passion’ is the theme of the Malaysian Society of Wound Care Professionals, which highlights how we have to demonstrate passion in our work as wound care professionals. My sincere wish is that this will result in more research and publications from clinicians in Asia. Thank you and God bless.
