SOCIETY FOR CONTINENCE, SINGAPORE

Our latest achievements are as follows:

The Society for Continence (Singapore) has established a working-group called the Asia Pacific Advisory Board (APCAB) and held its inaugural meeting with opinion leaders from throughtout the Asia Pacific Region in Singapore. Some 60 delegates were invited for a full 2-day meeting to help countries in this region set up their national Continence Societies. As a result guidelines were drawn up. An Asia-Pacific wide prevalence survey of incontinence was initiated, a halfday Scientific programme on "Current Therapies for Treating the Overactive Bladder" was conducted as a prelude to a launch of a multi-center clinical trial of a new drug for bladder instability. The countries represented were:

Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

APCAB has received a generous grant from Pharmacia & Upjohn to fuel its activities to combat the scourge of incontinence and to provide assistance to countries in this region for their educational, training and other needs in this mother of all battles. The aims of APCAB are to:

a) Facilitate formation of active Continence Organisations in all countries.

b) Assist development of Continence Clinics in all countries in the region.

c) Develop optimal clinical management guidelines through prevalence studies and clinical trials.

d) Develop and implement training programs for young clinicians who seek to specialize in the management of incontinence.

e) Assist in the development of public awareness programs to educate patients, family members and the general public.

f) Develop and implement training programs for healthcare providers, nurses and others to promote continence.

g) Influence healthcare policies promoting continence.

h) Develop and maintain a regional network of clinicians, healthcare providers, public officials and associations interested in promoting continence.

Three public forums on bed-wetting or nocturnal enuresis were conducted by the Society for Continence (Singapore) and the Singapore Paediatric Society in March 1999. A questionnaire survey was done in order to determine the public's view of the problem and how they have addressed it. Some 1,200 people attended these public forums.

A total of 22 lectures, 7 workshops and 2 symposia were tightly packaged over "Contemporary management of Incontinence" held from 11-13 March 1999. The limited 60 places offered were quickly filled. The Ministry of Health sponsored doctors and nurses from government and restructured hospitals. There were 14 overseas colleagues from Taiwan and Thailand.

Rani Vadiveloo, Executive Director