Second Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia Deepens Understanding of Universal Health and Global Cooperation

QINGDAO, China, June 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) hosts the second Global Health Forum (The Forum) in Qingdao. With rising consensus in the health field in the context of the pandemic, the Forum, with the aim of achieving the shared vision of “Health for All”, saw partners from government, academia and the private sector contribute to forming a global public health cooperation platform.

Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, President of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, noted that the Forum is committed to deepening understanding of universal health and international cooperation to contribute to building a health community for all mankind.

Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of BFA, noted at the Forum that the international community has reached a consensus to fight against the pandemic. While focusing on economic development, the world must also pay attention to the development of human health, which is a crucial to achieve global sustainable goals. The Forum is expected to become a platform to encourage innovation, communication and cooperation, providing effective solutions in response to the pandemic and promoting human health development.

The Forum gathered leaders and professionals from 30 government, international organizations and institutions such as the World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women and OECD, as well as 400 top healthcare experts and scholars in China. Representatives included Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Health; Hon. Christopher Fearne, Malta’s Minister for Health; Kwon Deok-chul South Korea’s Minister of Health and Welfare; Dr. Ildikó Horvath, Hungary’s State Secretary for Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Francisco T. Duque III, The Philippines’ Health Secretary and Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, Malaysia’s Health Minister.

Dialogues focused on key issues to improve the global public health governance system and strengthen international cooperation against the pandemic. Discussions covered a wide range of topics including scientific and technological innovation, security, climate change, integrated medical care and poverty alleviation.

The Forum discovered health feasibility in all policies and global cooperation against global public health emergencies in its two general meetings, also encouraging discussions on healthcare development under the impact of the pandemic and the cooperation mechanism triggered by vaccine distribution demand. Topics discussed at sub-forums included public health and emergency medicine, as well as accessibility and affordability of COVID-19 vaccine research and development.

Zhou Xiaochuan, Vice Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia and President of China Society for Finance and Banking, believes the Forum is important in supporting global solidarity in fighting against the pandemic and promoting sustainable economic recovery. “People all around the world are facing threats to their life and health as the pandemic repeatedly affects the globe. It also brought challenges to economy,” Zhou said. “The BFA can actively play its role at the Global Health Forum to provide solutions that tackle public health issues.”

About Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia

Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, initiated in 2018 to build a comprehensive platform with high representativeness and authoritativeness in the health field for high-end dialogues and practical cooperation that integrates governments, businesses and higher education institutions based on its features and advantages. Committed to pooling wisdom of the entire industry and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, it focuses on the frontiers and cross-border integration trends of the big health industry.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ghfbfa.cn 

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