Category: Balkan Military Medical Committee

13th BMMC Congress was held in Kysadasi, Turkey between 1st and 5th June 2008. Two hundred and sixty two (262) specialists participated from the four BMMC member countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Turkey) and the member country Serbia and three observer countries (Albania, FYROM and Montenegro). Four hundred and sixty one (461) scientific papers were presented, one hundred and fifty two (152) oral and three hundred and nine (309) poster presentations.

Three round tables were performed with the themes: “Imaging in Emergency Medicine”, “Aerospace Medicine” and “Military Medical Education and Training”.

12th BMMC Congress was held in Poiana Brasov, Romania, between 24 and 28 June 2007. One hundred and fifty three (153) participants from fiur member countries and one candidate member attended the congress. Three hundred and twenty one (321) scientific papers were presented, one+3 hundred and eight (108) oral and two hundred and thirteen (213) poster presentations.

The main topic of the congress was “Military Medical Assistance in Civilian Emergencies – National and Regional Cooperation”. Seven round tables were performed during the congress.

11th BMMC Congress was held in Athens, Greece, between 18 and 22 June 2006. The congress was attended by two hundred and sixty nine (269) participants from the four BMMC member countries. Five hundred and ninety two (592) papers were presented, of which one hundred and nineteen (119) were oral and four hundred and seventy three (473) poster presentations.

Five round tables were performed with the titles “Avian influenza”, “Spatial disorientation and aviation accidents”, “Diving medicine and Hyperbaric medicine”, “Nursing coordination in minimal invasive surgery” and “Psychological models of combat stress – prevention, management and control”. Three state of the art lectures were presented as well.

During the Congress Opening Ceremony, a Signing Ceremony was organized by Creek National Board for the acceptance of Serbia and Montenegro as Candidate Member Countries.

10th BMMC Congress was held in Varna, Bulgaria, from 02 to 06 October 2005. The congress was attended by one hundred and eighty (180) participants from the four member countries and five (5) military doctors as observers (two from Croatia, two from FYROM, one from Serbia). Four hundred and nine (409) scientific papers were presented. The panel topic of the congress was “Multinational Military Medical Support to Missions”.

During 17th Post Congress BMMC Meeting, the BMMC founder member countries accepted Serbia and Montenegro in March, 2006 as a candidate member country in the BMMC, according to article 6, paragraph d of the MoU, after Serbian’s request was presented, discussed and approved by the national representatives.

Also, the additional protocol of BMMR to MoU and the updated version of “Instructions to Authors” presented by Turkish National Board, was approved by BMMC.

9th BMMC Congress was held in Antalya, Turkey, between 21st and 24th June 2004. 350 specialists participated from the four member countries and four medical officers as observers from Albania, Croatia, FYROM and Serbia. Six hundred and fourteen (614) scientific papers, one hundred and twenty six (126) oral and four hundred and eighty eight (488) poster presentations were presented. A panel with the topic “Military Medicine in Mass Casualties” took place with international participation and great success. A specialist meeting with the theme “Spatial Disorientation, Training, Prevention and Countermeasures” took place as well. It was decided that, in the future congresses, the title of these specialist meetings would be “State of the Art Seminar, Panel or Conference”.

It was the first time that military medical students from member countries attended the congress. Also for the first time, an official web site was prepared from Turkish National Board for the activities of 9th BMMC Congress.

A technical medical exhibition and a special art exhibition with pastures from previous BMMC congresses were organized.

A technical visit was made to the military airport of Antalya and a briefing was given to participants about the ambulance aircraft. Military medical authorities and BMMC National Boards appreciated that activity and tried to support such informatics briefings in next meetings.

Greek National Board presented an informative booth during the congress on the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, an activity that distracted great interest.
During 15th BMMC Post Congress Committee Meeting from 25 to 27 June 2004, the idea of accepting scientific articles for publication in BMMR from non-member countries was discussed. It was approved in accordance with article 7 of Agreed Minutes of the 2nd Extra Meeting of BMMC, 1997 Athens, Greece.

8th BMMC Congress was held in Cluj Napoca of Romania from 21 until 24 October 2003. The congress was attended by three hundred and fifty (350) participants from all four member countries. There were two officers attending the congress as observers, one from Albania and one from USA.

Seven hundred and two (702) scientific papers, one hundred and twenty three (123) oral and five hundred and seventy nine (579) poster presentations were presented. 

7th BMMC Congress was held in Athens, Greece, from 06 to10 October 2002. The main scientific panel topic was “NBC Protection”. Five hundred and fifty two (552) participants from all four member countries of BMMC attended the congress. Four hundred and sixteen (416) scientific papers of all specialties of medicine were presented.

In the closing ceremony of 7th BMMC congress, member countries signed “Statement of Acceptance” on the establishment of the Balkan Military Medical Unit (BMMU).

During 11th BMMC Post Congress Committee Meeting held in Porto Heli, Greece from 11 to 12 October 2002, final Congress Protocol, was presented by Turkish National Board and was decided to be signed at the next meeting. Attendance of BMMC National Boards Presidents and Secretary Generals to International Committee of Military Medicine Congress took place as discussed in the previous meeting.

6th BMMC Congress was held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from 01 to 03 October, 2001. The congress was attended by three hundred (300) participants, while three hundred and twenty (320) scientific papers were presented.

9th BMMC Meeting was held in Pamporovo, Bulgaria between 5th and 7th October 2001. Turkish National Board presented the first draft of Congress Protocol. New BMMC emblem was prepared and presented by Greek National Board. The name of the previous proposed Joint Military Medical Unit was discussed and decided to be renamed as “Balkan Military Medical Unit of BMMC”. 

Attendance of BMMC National Boards Presidents and Secretary Generals to International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM) Congresses was discussed. It was decided to participate actively making a presentation about BMMU of BMMC and preparing brochures and a booth concerning BMMC history and activities at next ICMM Congress.

5th BMMC Congress was held in Ankara, Turkey, between 25th and 28th September 2000. It had five hundred and twenty (520) participants from the four member countries and four hundred and ten (410) scientific papers were presented.

8th BMMC Meeting was held in Izmir, Turkey from 29 September to 01 October. During that meeting it was decided that participants of the congress were obliged to have at least one paper. Without a paper no one could be a participant except official VIPs.

Greek National Board took the responsibility to prepare a badge to be worn by the Chiefs of delegations and the National Boards during the congresses and meetings and any time if needed in accordance with the regulations of member countries.

4^th BMMC Congress was held in Bucharest, Romania, between 6^th and 10^th June 1999. Three hundred and fifty six (356) specialists participated from the four member countries and five hundred and forty two (542) scientific papers were presented. Three round tables were organized: “Multitrauma and Emergency Medicine”, “Hospital Management” and “Humanitarian Medical Missions”.

The first BMMC medal and hammer were created by Romanian National Board, while the first flag was created by Greek National Board. During the 7^th BMMC Meeting it was decided that in the future the medal, hummer and flag will be compulsory transferred from President to President of BMMC, during the closing ceremony of the congress. When the new President receives the hammer, medal and flag, he has to say the following oath:

“I, the President of BMMC, will do always my best in order to preserve in honor, safety and dignity the symbols of power and I will also do my best for the development of the Balkan Military Medical Committee”.

Furthermore, Greek National Board presented the first draft of BMMC Joint Medical Unit (BMMU), while BMMC National Boards decided to create a Congress Protocol. Turkish National Board undertook to prepare the draft following the propositions from other member countries.

BMMC National Boards decided that they were not in a position to receive new member countries until the final completion of its structure body.