VENUE OF THE CONFERENCE: DELEGATES SEATED; GAMBIAN DELEGATE SPEAKING; BARBARA CASTLE SPEAKING; DELEGATES SPEAKING INFORMALLY.




Initials PBS/S/MGT/SGM



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Background: MINISTERS OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL EXPERTS FROM 30 COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TODAY (MONDAY) MET AT THE FIRST COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL CONFERENCE.IT IS BEING HELD IN EDINBURGH, AND FOLLOWS A PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY BRITAIN AT THE PRIME MINISTER'S CONFERENCE IN LONDON IN JULY LAST YEAR.

IN ALL, 20 ARE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE INCLUDING MR.ARNOLD SMITH, THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAL, AND DR.F.GRUNDY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.MOST OF THE NATIONAL DELEGATIONS ARE BEING HEADED BY THEIR MINISTERS OF HEALTH, WHILE THE BRITISH DELEGATION HAS FIVE MINISTERS AMONG ITS MEMBERS INCLUDING MRS.BARBARA CASTLE, MINISTER FOR OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT.

THE CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL LAST FOR NINE DAYS, WILL DEVOTE ITS TIME TO SEE HOW CO-OPERATION BETWEEN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINE CAN BE IMPROVED.THERE WILL BE LITTLE DISCUSSION ON TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS OF MEDICINE.ALTHOUGH TALKS WILL BE HELD ON HOW THE RESOURCES OF THE PARTICIPATING NATIONS CAN BE SPREAD TO PROVIDE FOR THE TRAINING OF ALL TYPES OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL.