To all Distinguished Members and Colleagues

Since its inception in 2001, the Asian Regional Cooperative Council for Nuclear Medicine (ARCCNM) has made tremendous efforts towards the promotion and development of nuclear medicine in the region of Asia through the utmost dedication of the Council members.

Substantial global recognition of the ARCCNM has been made possible through the successes of the Annual General Meetings. As a result, the ARCCNM has formed working liaisons with internationally established and respected organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB).

The Annual General Meetings, the most recent of which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in February 2003, seek to uphold the objectives underlined in the ARCCNM Constitution by fostering the exchange of innovative scientific and technological information. Nuclear medicine professionals from all over Asia are given the opportunity to participate in numerous symposia, lectures and workshops. Such activities have emphasized the importance of nuclear medicine activity and educational advancement and have thus significantly contributed to the progress of nuclear medicine in Asia.

The various achievements of the ARCCNM throughout the past three years have assisted the Council in harnessing support from its member states. The increased confidence in the ARCCNM has been manifested in its physical growth, and consequently, the ARCCNM now includes a total of eighteen member states with the recently approved membership of Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Consistent Executive Board, Working Group and Task-Force Group Meetings continually seek to improve the overall effectiveness and functionality of the Council and allow the member states to be actively involved in ARCCNM politics.

Revision of the Constitution and the reorganization of the Council structure at the 4th Executive Board Meeting will further enhance the productivity of the ARCCNM as an organization dedicated to the expansion of nuclear medicine practice in Asia. With the knowledgeable guidance of Dr. Myung-Chul Lee, the Honorary Chairman, and the Advisory Committee, the newly established Organizing Committee will seek to strengthen the efficient administration of ARCCNM issues. It is our hope that this improved structure will allow the ARCCNM to properly carry out political and scientific activities which will better the current status of nuclear medicine practice in Asia.

Heterogeneity continues to plague the future of nuclear medicine activity and scientific research in Asia, particularly in the less developed and developing countries of the region. Most countries in Asia lack official education programs which are fundamental for the advancement of nuclear medicine practice and all together too many nuclear medicine physicians in Asia lack the opportunity and the resources to receive higher levels of education. In order to successfully promote and develop nuclear medicine in these areas and in other regions of the world, it is essential for the ARCCNM to focus its efforts on increasing awareness on this unsatisfactory condition.

To that end, the member states must persist in supporting and contributing ARCCNM projects such as the Asian School of Nuclear Medicine (ASNM), which embody the objectives of the Council. Functioning as a subsidiary educational training curriculum for professionals and experts in nuclear medicine, the ASNM will enhance academic activities and advocate the benefits of innovative scientific and technical knowledge such as PET/cyclotron technology in the developing and less developed nations of Asia. Currently, the ASNM is in the process of assembling its basic framework.

Success in Asia most certainly means success in other regions of the world. As the Chairman of the ARCCNM, I promise to commit my duties towards increasing the Council's potential of transforming Asia into a region that flourishes in nuclear medicine practice and scientific activity, and I ask for your cooperation in this great endeavor.

I look forward to working with you all for the next two years.

Respectfully Submitted,