The Rural Doctors Association of Victoria has cancelled the Victorian Rural Health Conference scheduled for Bendigo in May following coronavirus being declared a worldwide pandemic.
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On Twitter, the RDAV announced the decision was to consider the "needs our rural communities and the safety of our rural doctors and other healthcare professionals".
The event was set to be held at the All Seasons Resort in Bendigo from May 1 to 3.
Bendigo doctor Louise Manning, who is on the RDAV board and conference hearing committee, supported the decision.
"It is obviously disappointing we had to cancel but given the current climate and the World Health Organisation declaring COVIS-19 a pandemic we thought it would be prudent to cancel," Dr Manning said.
"We essentially thought the risk to rural communities and potentially exposing them to the virus (was too great).
"Most rural GPs work as contractors, meaning they (don't have the same) access to leave.
"The additional thought was that while (doctors) may not be sick, having to self isolate would be a burden on communities not having access to doctors."
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Dr Manning said the Victorian Rural Health Conference attracted almost 150 people last year.
"We were aiming for 200 people this year," she said. "It's becoming quite popular with most of sign ups happening in month or so prior to conference.
"We had discussed potential of postponing the conference until September but given the overall Rural Medicine Conference is happening in October along with other events, we thought (ours) wouldn't be well attended.
"We also don't know how the pandemic will turn out. We're at the beginning of it, it's hard to know the situation in a few months.
"So at this stage we are postponing until 2021 but are aiming to use Bendigo as the location (in the future)."
