An honorary speech delivered by Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and State Security and Peace Commission Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the opening ceremony of the 54th Myanmar Health Research Congress

Everybody, Mingalaba!

I extend my warm greetings to all distinguished guests attending today’s 54th Myanmar Health Research Congress on physical and mental well-being.

Myanmar’s Health Research Con­gress have been held since 1965 with the objectives of advancing health-re­lated knowledge through research and improving the standard of health care, as well as providing a forum for relevant health professionals to learn about and discuss the practical application of re­search findings. To date, the congress has been successfully convened for the 54th time.

In today’s era of science and technol­ogy, everything is constantly advancing and changing at a rapid pace. Therefore, it has become essential to continuously study and keep up to date so that medical sciences, modern diagnostic and treat­ment tools, new drugs and therapies, and applications supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can continue to develop effectively.

At Myanmar’s Health Research Con­gress, not only domestic researchers but also international researchers partici­pate, presenting research papers and re­search posters. In addition, symposiums and subject-specific scientific talks are widely held, providing opportunities to present and discuss updated knowledge and research findings in the health field. It is encouraging and a matter of pride to see that Myanmar’s health research activities are being conducted at a level comparable to international standards.

The theme of the 54th Myanmar Health Research Congress has been set as “Better Health Through Medical Research”, reflecting its main objective of improving public health through the conduct of medical research.

Medical research activities utilize evidence-based research findings to make disease detection methods, pre­vention, and treatment programs more effective and efficient. In addition, they help improve public health services and enable the formulation and implemen­tation of health policies that are appro­priate and up-to-date for the country. Therefore, the results of medical re­search contribute to raising the overall health standards of the nation and can also help extend the life expectancy of the country’s population.

At present, it is necessary to con­trol non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, which are widespread and likely to increase. To this end, the World Health Organization, the Department of Pub­lic Health, the Department of Medical Services, the Department of Human Re­sources for Health and the Department of Medical Research under the Ministry of Health jointly conducted the “Study on the Risk of Non-Communicable Diseases in Myanmar (2024)”. According to the re­search findings, in addition to preventive measures to reduce the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases, it is also necessary to support the public in adopt­ing healthy habits, including balanced nutrition. In the 2025-2026 financial year, the government has approved K1.5 bil­lion in funding to enable not only the Department of Medical Research but also other relevant departments and medical-related universities to carry out research activities.

In addition, with the leadership of the Ministry of Health, and in collabora­tion with the Department of Medical Re­search, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Medical Services, a nationwide study was conducted on health-related knowledge among second­ary school students in Myanmar. Since secondary school students represent the future generation of the nation, it is recommended that school health ser­vices be further improved based on the findings of this research.

What I would like to emphasize next is the need to conduct research that can help in the prevention and control of lo­cally occurring and infectious diseases, as well as seasonal illnesses, and that can enable early detection of cancer and support successful treatment. It is necessary to carry out these studies in collaboration with international partners, applying modern laboratory technologies and research methodologies. I would like to encourage these efforts to be con­ducted even more effectively and on a broader scale than they are currently.

In particular, to ensure that our peo­ple have good basic health and can live long, healthy lives, it is necessary to expand research on nutrition, food safety, and practical health studies related to healthy living practices. The findings from this research should also be widely shared with the public through health education and preventive programmes.

It is also necessary to expand re­search on medical treatments, hospital administration, and management. In conducting health-related research, col­laboration should take place with medical and pharmacy universities under the Ministry of Health, hospitals, disease control programmes, primary healthcare workers, and community-based organi­zations.

It is also necessary to promote our country’s traditional medicine and tradi­tional medicinal products internationally, to advance the development of tradition­al medicine, and to better protect the health of the people through traditional medical practices. Regarding tradition­al medicine, practical research should be conducted in collaboration with the Department of Traditional Medicine to obtain accurate and reliable data and findings.

Many young people and scholars in our country have a research-minded spirit, and it is necessary for them to car­ry out research activities systematically and ethically.

To achieve this, training courses on research techniques and research ethics should be continuously offered. I would like to emphasize the importance of cultivating an understanding among healthcare workers that conducting re­search is essential for providing better healthcare and of fostering a thriving research culture in the country.

In 2025, researchers and scholars under the Ministry of Health were able to attend international training courses and workshops, participate in interna­tional conferences by presenting pa­pers and giving lectures, and serve as speakers at various events. In addition, our country was able to host medical conferences as the host nation.

In terms of international collabo­ration, the Department of Medical Re­search has been recognized as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research & Training on Malaria (WHO-CC) since 25 September 2003, and this recognition will continue until 2028, for cooperation in malaria research, disease diagnosis and treatment for antibiotic drug resist­ance. The department has been actively involved, as a WHO-CC, in research, training, education, and the collection and integration of information related to malaria and antibiotic drug resist­ance. This is a source of great pride and satisfaction for the development of the national health sector.

We understand that in building our nation, it is essential for young people to have knowledge and skills, and for all ethnic communities to be healthy and resilient. Therefore, one of our objectives is “To emphasize enhanc­ing the national education and health sectors for sustainable development of the State”. In promoting the health sector, research activities and research conferences like this one play a very important role, and we believe they will lead to successful progress and achievements.

In conclusion, the research findings presented at this 54^th Myanmar Health Research Congress will greatly support the Ministry of Health’s objectives of en­suring a long and healthy life for every­one and reducing the risk of disease for all. We also believe that by applying the discoveries from the Department of Medical Research, the health of the public can be further improved. I would like to encourage researchers to con­tinue making every effort to conduct high-quality research that can propel the development of a health sector capa­ble of standing alongside international standards, thereby contributing to the nation’s overall progress.

Thank you all.