About Us

ABOUT THE AHDMA

Leading up to 2005 there was a lot of interest in hyperbaric medicine throughout Asia, which created a wave of excitement to open new hyperbaric centres. At the time, it was believed that many of these facilities had no code of practice, accepted indications lists, background medical or technical training. It was thought that if left to continue on that trajectory, there could be a number of avoidable accidents within the facilities and/or that the benefits of the hyperbaric and diving medicine may not follow best practice.

The USA has the UHMS and Europe has EUBS but there was no one organisation that had as its sole purpose the promotion of evidence based medical knowledge, technical excellence and hyperbaric safety for the Asian region.

To address the void, the Asia Hyperbaric and Diving Medical Association (AHDMA ) was founded by Dr. Tony Lee, Bob Ramsay, Dr. Michael Perez, Dr. Janet Perez, Tim Snowden, Dr. Edwin Low, Dr. Halim Mohamed, Dr. Andrew Ng, Dr. Loh Sheau Torng, Dr. Victor Hoe and Dr. Tarun Sahnii with the intention of developing; an accepted indications list, the routine dissemination of knowledge and experiences, creating an environment where and relationships can be developed and explored.

The AHDMA is committed to continue its mission to provide hyperbaric and diving medicine specific information and education on evidence based hyperbaric and diving medicine, hold an annual scientific meeting, educate doctors, nurses and technical people in many different countries in the Asia region.

Each year since the inaugural Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005 the AHDMA has endeavoured to move the ASM around the Asia region, including; Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Thailand and the Philippines.

HISTORY OF THE AHDMA

The AHDMA was founded by Dr. Tony Lee, Bob Ramsay, Dr. Michael Perez, Dr. Janet Perez, Tim Snowden, Dr. Edwin Low, Dr. Halim Mohamed, Dr. Andrew Ng, Dr. Loh Sheau Torng, Dr. Victor Hoe and Dr. Tarun Sahnii with the intention of developing; an accepted indications list, the routine dissemination of knowledge and experiences, creating an environment where and relationships can be developed and explored.

The inaugural ASM was held in a classroom at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaysia.  Guest speaker Dr. Michael Bennett sent a strong tone from the association’s inception with a focus on evidence-based medicine, which has continued ever since.

Since then, the AHDMA’s Presidents and Committees have sought a wide variety of guest speakers from around the world to assist in our mission to disseminate evidence based hyperbaric and diving medical knowledge in the region.

The Presidents of the AHDMA have each brought their own flavour to the association. Dr. Mike Perez opened with a pragmatic approach required to get the association underway.  Then Dr. Tony Lee took over the reins and maintained a vibrant and educational focus for the association. Dr. Tarun Shanii was more centred around expanding the association’s reach and membership, whilst maintaining the quality of the association. President Dr. Chai Rick’s eclectic approach maintained the quality of the association and delivered more structure.  In 2018 Dr. Andrew Ng. was elected as our new President.

AHDMA
Committee

(2023-2025)

President

Dr Andrew Ng Wei Aun
Armed Forces Hospital Tuanku Mizan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Vice President

Dr Elise Er Lay Ze
Banting Hospital, Banting, Malaysia

 

Secretary

Dr Jeffrey Chau Cheuk Wai
Private Emergency Clinic, Hong Kong

 

Treasurer

Dr See Hooi Geok
Singapore General Hospital, Singapore

 

Committee Members

Dr Yim Shao En
Armed Forces Hospital Tuanku Mizan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Dr Kyle Au Yeung Kwan Leong
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong

 

Dato Professor Dr Nik Hisamuddin
Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia

Past Presidents

2005: Dr Michael Francis M Perez, Philippines

2006 – 2012: Dr Tony Lee Chin Thang, Malaysia

2013 – 2014: Dr Tarun Sahni, India

2015 – 2018: Dr Soh Chai Rick, Singapore

2019 – Present: Dr Andrew Ng Wei Aun, Malaysia


Other related information about AHDMA:

1.  Society’s constitution (click here to download Registered Constitution of AHDMA 2009)