The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), the largest representative body for doctors in Ireland, has today announced its decision to postpone its forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) in light of the evolving Covid-19 situation.  

The AGM was due to be held in Killarney next month (16th-19th April). The AGM is one of the key events in the IMO calendar and is attended each year by hundreds of doctors from different specialties across the country.  

Speaking today, Dr. Padraig McGarry, President of the IMO, said: “Our AGM is an important event in the development of our policy on health and industrial matters but, at this time, we have a particular responsibility to focus all our efforts on the Covid-19 crisis. Our health services will be seriously challenged over the coming weeks. We do not want to divert a very important group of healthcare professionals at this time, nor do we wish to take any unnecessary risks in terms of the health of our doctors who are needed to provide critical care for patients.”

The IMO represents all branches of the medical profession in Ireland – including GPs, consultants, non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs), public health doctors and community health doctors. All specialties are currently working intensively on the Covid-19 crisis.

The IMO advises all people to follow the public health guidelines as outlined on the HSE website, www.hse.ie.

Dr. McGarry continued: “As a society we are facing an unprecedented challenge and we strongly support the advice of our public health specialists. We appeal to people to help our frontline doctors and all healthcare professionals by following the public health guidelines as outlined on the HSE website. This applies whether you are ill or not.

“Our doctors are experts who we can trust so it is crucial their advice, based on medical evidence, is heeded to limit the spread of Covid-19 in Ireland.”