Forum to diagnose global health issues

Industry experts from home and abroad to attend the inaugural event in Qingdao

The first Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, to be held in Qingdao from June 10 to 12, will feature high-level dialogue discussing topics such as aging, internet healthcare, microorganisms and youth health, its organizers said.

The forum will be hosted by the government of Shandong province in East China and the Boao Forum for Asia, a nongovernmental and nonprofit international organization. Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, former director-general of the World Health Organization, will chair the event.

The main event will be accompanied by 28 subforums focusing on three themes - "Universal Health Coverage", "Innovation for Health" and "Health in All Policies".

Officials brief journalists about the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia at a news conference in Qingdao, Shandong province in April. The event will be held in Qingdao from June 10 to 12. Photos Provided to China Daily

On the first theme, a subforum on aging will discuss problems associated with aging, sharing experiences in retirement policies, pensions, insurance, nursing and ways of providing care in elderly communities.

A sub-forum on primary healthcare in the age of chronic, noninfectious disease aims to increase awareness of disease prevention and screening, advocate healthy lifestyles and promote better infrastructure construction for primary healthcare.

A dialogue on combined medical treatment and elderly care will also be held at the forum in Qingdao. The organizers said the demand placed on providing care, medical services and rehabilitation for the elderly is increasing.

The National Social Science Fund of China has reported that by the end of 2050, China will have 75 million people older than 80 years and 120 million elderly people who cannot take care of themselves or have dementia.

Japan, which has had an aging population for a long time, has had a relatively successful experience in combining medical treatment and elderly care, according to some observers, and China has the opportunity to take a similar approach.

Focusing on the second theme "Innovation for Health", a subforum on the future of online medical care will discuss technical innovation in Internet Plus medicine, and the interconnection of global medical resources. It will promote the establishment of global medical service systems that can be used online and offline.

Zhang Wei, director of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, will preside over the sub-forum where guests such as Chai Jianjun, secretary of the commission for discipline inspection at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Han Hongkun, founder of DSG, a company developing data management software and solutions, will deliver key speeches.

Organizers of the Qingdao forum said discussing the influence of microorganisms in human bodies will help people to learn about and hope they can be utilized for health benefits. A seminar will demonstrate how microorganisms have an influence everywhere, from in people's immune systems, chronic diseases, cancers to metabolisms and neurological functions.

Jeff Miller, a microorganism and immunology expert from the United States, Gao Fu, an expert on pathogenic microorganisms and immunology from China, and Xu Jian from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences will deliver speeches at the seminar.

Focusing on the third theme "Health in All Policies", a youth health sub-forum will be held, discussing youth responsibilities and global health. Organizers said they think the activity will help to promote rapid development in the health industry, cultivate the capabilities of young people and strengthen their sense of duty and mission toward global hygiene and health undertakings.

Hosted by James Chau, a noted presenter from China Central Television, the sub-forum will welcome Fabio Scano from the World Health Organization's China Office and Yin Hui, an expert at the global health department of Peking University's Public Health School.

A seminar on setting up universities for rehabilitation will also be held. The establishment is an important measure to actively respond to the aging population, improving people's life quality and increasing the national rehabilitation level.

The seminar will share internationally advanced rehabilitation concepts, the results of scientific research and experiences from training professionals. Attendees will also communicate ideas about how to build the universities.

Earth health will be another concern at the forum, the organizers said. They said global ecological problems have become worse, such as environmental pollution, climate change and reduced biodiversity, causing hygiene and health problems to become more complicated.

It is necessary to watch changes in global ecology and protect ecology while facing up to global hygiene challenges, the organizers said.

The total 28 sub-forums will reach a consensus on health and contribute to formulating related industrial policies. They will provide impetus to innovation in the health industry and help to realize goals in the official guidelines for Healthy China 2030, and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

A global health exposition, which people can visit for free, will be held along with the forum. There will be an exhibition area covering 20,000 square meters which will showcase products such as dietary supplements and wearable devices. More than 150 companies and organizations have confirmed to attend.

Visitors to the expo can learn about the latest in the field of health, get answers to health-related problems and try out advanced health equipment, the organizers said.

songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn