20th February 2017

Report on the 15th ASCoN Conference

Livability, in partnership with the Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) and the Indonesian Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Association hosted the 15th Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) Conference in Indonesia from 26–30 October 2016.

The 4 days were packed with various interactive and participatory sessions and attracted 750 participants.

Day 1 consisted of 14 pre-symposium workshops relating to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Days 2 and 3 consisted of the opening ceremony, publications launch, plenary lectures, scientific sessions (programme attached), ASCoN Executive Committee Meeting, Poster Competition, Observership Award, Paper Presentations, ASCoN Star Award, IDAPP meeting (ISCoS Database ASCoN Pilot Project), closing ceremony and cultural programme. Day 4 consisted of a workshop on Comprehensive Management of SCI

There were a number of memorable highlights during the 15th ASCoN Conference 2015 including

the “launch of publication” ceremony where 20 different publications were presented including various rehabilitation manuals, the ISCoS Textbook on Comprehensive Management of SCI and the ASCoN Psycho-social guidelines.

ASCoN Observership Award. This was won by Julker Nayan, Occupational Therapist from CRP Bangladesh, for his paper entitled “Post rehabilitation job status of persons with SCI in Bangladesh. The award will enable him to undertake a one-month observership at an ASCoN Training Centre

The multidisciplinary workshop on SCI management for healthcare professionals and people with SCI. The female participant (on left in photo) living with SCI who participated at the workshop on comprehensive management of SCI announced that she was going to try to have a baby, after learning this was possible during the session on “Sexuality and Fertility”.

The ASCoN Star Award, presented to Dr Apichana Kovindha (centre) from Thailand, in recognition of her lifetime dedication and ongoing activities to promote collaboration and improve SCI management and rehabilitation in the Asia Region.

The “United Colours of Rehabilitation Gala Dinner and Cultural programme”