LOC CHAIRMAN OPENING SPEECH

On behalf of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), I welcome you with great delight and pleasure to the 40^th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) which also coincides with the 50^th Anniversary of the Association. Welcome to Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Sunshine state, renown for hospitality and cocoa production.

It is that Indeed the APHPN has come a long way. The theme and the sub-themes of the conference were carefully selected to reflect topical issues in the practice of Public Health especially in Nigeria and across the world. The guest speaker is our member and was chosen to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with us. I have no doubt he will do justice to the topic as he reviews past situations of public health in the country and then propose what  the public health agenda in the new political  dispensation should be.

This year's conference is unique in that we are celebrating the golden jubilee of the Association, which will be in grand style. The hallmark of this will be the Luncheon and Awards Ceremony in which 50 eminent public health practitioners across the ages in Nigeria will be recognized and awarded.

I will like to appreciate the Ondo State Governor, His Excellency Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu for the creating enabling environment for health in the State and  which we are leveraging to  host this event. Appreciation also goes to the Commissioner of Health and Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health for their support towards this conference, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) Ondo, and all our strategic advisory committees. We also appreciate institutions and individuals who continue to contribute in cash and kind towards the preparation for this meeting.

We appreciate the National Executive of APHPN ably led by our very own Prof. Alphonsus Isara and the Board of Trustees for giving us the opportunity to serve. It is my hope and aspiration that this conference will be a most memorable and fulfilling one for all of us. Kindly find all the support and information you need on this website, and feel free to contact the LOC for any further assistance.