Historic

The ICMM is an international and intergovernmental organization,
constituted by more than 100 States.


General M.C. Jules VONCKEN, Belgium
Founder and Secretary General of International Committee of Military Medicine from 1921 to 1975

Captain William S. BAINBRIDGE, MD (US NAVY)
Founder of International Committee
of Military Medicine
 

In 1920, after World War One had revealed the importance of a closer cooperation between the Armed Forces Medical Services worldwide, Captain William S. BAINBRIDGE, MD (US NAVY) and Commander Medical Officer Jules VONCKEN, Belgium suggested, at the 28th session of the US Military Officers Association (AMSUS), the creation of an international organization of the Armed Forces Medical Services.

The first international congress of military medicine and pharmacy was held in July 1921, in Brussels, Belgium.


The Permanent Committee of the International Congresses of Military Medicine and Pharmacy was officially founded on July 21, 1921.

The founding countries were :

Belgium, Brazil, France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United States of America.

International Assembly of the Health Services of the Armies, Navies and Air Forces.
Liège - BELGIUM
18-21 July 1930

On May 21, 1952, the World Health Organization recognized the Committee as an "international organization specialized in medico-military matters".

On April 28, 1990, the Committee changed its name and became the INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MILITARY MEDICINE (ICMM).

The Secretaries-General of ICMM:

General
Jules VONCKEN, MD
Secretary-General
from 1921 till 1976
Colonel
Jules MATHIEU MD
Secretary-General
from 1976 till 1982
Colonel
Marcel COOLS, MD
Secretary-General
from 1982 till 1998
Colonel
Jacques SANABRIA, MD
Secretary-General
from 1998 till 2011
Major General
Roger VAN HOOF
, MD
Secretary-General
from 2011 till today

 

The World Congresses of ICMM:

To further the accomplishment of its missions, the ICMM shall organize periiodically, World Congresses of Military Medicine.
A Congress will be held in an ICMM Member State, normally on a biennial basis.

The objectives of the World Congresses are four-fold:
Encourage official and personal relations between the Directors of the Military Medical Services, through an association (according to the desire of the organizing country) representatives of the Intergovernmental, International and Non-governmental Organizations the objects of which have the following points in common with the ICMM.
Draw up a detailed study of contemporary knowledge or studies related to military medicine.
Disseminate scientific information on the activities of the military medical services, and
Supply a framework and the facilities to hold the statutory meetings of the ICMM (General Assembly, Working Group, etc.).

1921 - Brussels, Belgium
1923 - Rome, Italy
1925 - Paris, France
1927 - Warsaw, Poland
1929 - London, UK
1931 - The Hague, The Netherlands
1933 - Madrid, Spain
1935 - Brussels, Belgium
1937 - Bucharest, Romania
1939 - Washington, USA
1947 - Basel, Switzerland
1949 - Mexico, Mexico
1951 - Paris, France

1954 - Luxemburg, Luxemburg
1957 - Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1959 - Teheran, Iran
1963 - Caracas, Venezuela
1965 - Bangkok, Thailand
1969 - Dublin, Ireland
1971 - Brussels, Belgium
1973 - Bucharest, Romania
1976 - Lima, Peru
1980 - Santiago, Chile
1982 - Athens, Greece
1984 - Baghdad, Iraq
1986 - Marrakech, Morocco

1988 - Interlaken, Switzerland
1990 - Madrid, Spain
1993 - Istanbul, Turkey
1994 - Augsburg, Germany
1996 - Beijing, China
1998 - Vienna, Austria
2000 - Espoo, Finland
2002 - Sun City, South Africa
2004 - Washington, USA
2005 - St Petersburg, Russia
2007 - Tunis, Tunisia
2009 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2011 - Abuja, Nigeria


Interlaken, Switzerland 1988

Madrid, Spain 1990

Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2005

Tunis, Tunisia 2007
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2009
Abuja, Nigeria 2011


ICMM activities include:

Military medicine as a whole,
Survey of techniques for assessing aptitudes,
Survey medicine,
Mass medicine,
Dentistry,
Military pharmacy,
Veterinary sciences,
Administration, organization and logistics of medical care missions.

The present goals include:

To maintain and to strengthen the bonds between all medical services of Member States,
To promote medico-military scientific activities,
To participate in the development of the medical and medico-military setting of humanitarian operations.

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HISTORIC: OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

Letter 1920 - Invitation to the 1st Congress in 1921 (text in french)

Report of the 1st Congress in 1921 (text in french)

Foundation of the Permanent Committee 1921 (text in french)

WHO 1952 (text in english)

Agreement ICMMP-WHO 1952 (text in english)

Memorandum of understanding ICMM-WHO 2001 (text in english)

Updated agreements between WHO and the ICMM 2004 ( text in french)

Agreement ICMM-OIE 2006 (text in english)

Memorandum of understanding ICMM-UNAIDS 2009 (text in english)