Association of Medical Doctors of Asia, in short AMDA, was established in 1984 by Dr. Shigeru Suganami, in Okayama, Japan.  Since then AMDA has grown in size and scope actively engaging in emergency relief as well as in integrated community development all over the world.

Dr. Shigeru Suganami was born on Dec. 29th, 1946, in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.   He graduated from Okayama University, Medical School in 1977 with Ph.D. in public health.

In 1981 he set up his own clinic in Okayama-City, presently known as Asuka International Clinic. He is married to Dr. Tomoko Suganami, an otorhinolaryngologist and Vice-President of Asuka International Clinic.  A dedicated physician by profession, Dr. Shigeru Suganami is probably more known as the President of AMDA, Association of Medical Doctors of Asis, an avocation he has pursued since his younger days.

In the summer of 1963, Suganami experienced a memorable encounter with a picture from one of the World War II photo collections. In the striking picture a young solider lay dead on a beach, his head half buried in the sand.  Suganami, in his second year at senior high school at that time, stood motionless in front of the photo completely dismayed and shocked at the merciless and solitary death of a young man of his age It was just one casualty out of countless civilians and soldiers victimized by the War, but this encounter has become the root of his career as a medical doctor and  his avocation in humanitarian causes that consequently led to the formation of AMDA.  It was also this very picture which stirred his interest for Asia.

The picture came from the collections of photos taken from World War II which involved many Asian countries as well as the South Sea Islands. During his fourth year at Okayama University Medical School, he embarked on a ten-month trip to South-East Asia and Middle East.  His first stop was Japan Leprosy Mission for Asia near Agra, India, where he received first-hand experience in international humanitarian efforts.  After the completion of his training he toured through 10 countries and was deeply impressed by the diversity and dynamism of these countries.  At the same time, the appalling sight of people in poverty and agony resulting from conflicts, natural disasters, and social system has been deeply embedded in his memory and remains so until this day.