Course: History of APPOS | APOA

  • APPOS History & Milestones

    • 1985–1987: Formation and Inauguration

      • In 1985, members of the Western Pacific Orthopaedic Association (WPOA) met in Bangkok and proposed a subspecialty section for Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.

      • A protem committee was formed:
        • Chairman: Dr Thamrongrat Keokarn (Thailand)
        • Vice Chairman: Dr Louis C S Hsu (Hong Kong)
        • Secretary-Treasurer: Dr Chaithavat Ngarmukos (Thailand)

      • 4 November 1987: Official inauguration in Chiang Mai.

      • First board meeting: protem leaders confirmed as official officers.

    • 1989–1992: Early Growth & Leadership Changes

      • Second board meeting (1989, Singapore): Constitution adopted.
        • Regular board meetings every 2 years during WPOA congress.
        • Each member country to have 2 representatives.

      • 1991, Seoul: First combined Spine & Paediatric Section meeting.

      • 1992, Jakarta: Dr In Young Ok becomes chairman.

      • Surplus from the first combined meeting donated to Paediatric Section.

      • Bank account opened in Singapore by Dr Lee Eng Hin.

      • Board elections held every 3 years during main congress.

    • 1994–2000: International Alliances

      • 1994: Applied to join Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) – accepted in 1996.

      • 1998: Accepted by International Federation of Paediatric Orthopaedic Societies (IFPOS) as Western Pacific representative.

      • 2000: WPOA reorganized as Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA).
        • Geographical coverage expanded to include India, China, and other countries.
        • Asia-Pacific contributions gained global significance.

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    • 2007–2010: Academic Collaborations

      • 2007: Affiliation with Journal of Children Orthopaedics (JCO).

      • 2010: Invitation from Journal of Paediatric Orthopaedics (JPO) to submit research.

      • 2010, Hawaii: Co-organized APOA/POSNA Annual Congress.
        • Led by Dr In Ho Choi (Chairman) & Dr PQ Chen (APOA President).
        • around 100 members from across Asia-Pacific attended.

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    • 2008–Present: Travelling Fellowships

      • 2008: First Paediatric Orthopaedic Travelling Fellowship launched.
        • Fellows from Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia visited Seoul & Fukuoka.
        • Program concluded at 7th combined Spine & Paediatric Congress, Jeju, Korea.

      • Subsequent fellowships:
        • 2010: Visits to Kaoshiung & Nagoya; 8th combined Congress, Gifu, Japan.
        • Recent: Visits to India; 50th Golden Anniversary Congress, New Delhi.

      • 2026: 9th combined Congress in Kuching, Malaysia to host 4 travelling fellows visiting 3 countries.

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    • 2011–Present: Organizational Development


      • 2011: New POSNA alliance agreement signed by Dr In Ho Choi & Dr Saw Aik.

      • Board meetings now held during combined Spine & Paediatric Section congresses for better attendance.

      • Updated constitution allows elections every 2 years.

      • Key focus:
        • Maintaining an up-to-date membership list.
        • Encouraging member participation in POSNA, IFPOS, and other initiatives.
        • Adapting to subspecialty growth and telecommunication advancements.

    • With over 40 years of history, the Paediatric Section has grown from a small regional group into a major Asia-Pacific subspecialty network. It has established strong academic collaborations with leading global journals and professional societies, while maintaining an ongoing commitment to education, research, and fellowship programs that continue to advance paediatric orthopaedic care across the region.

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