Photos Credit: Chulalongkorn University
The 17th APRU Global Health Conference 2024 attracted a record high of 413 participants from 25 economies, constituting a strong display of interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare professionals, scholars, government officials and technologists.
Hosted on November 4 – 6 by the School of Global Health of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, the annual gathering had artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and planetary health at the center of discussions. Planetary health is a new transdisciplinary field of research and social movement that addresses the impacts of natural systems on human health and all life on Earth.
“Human health is inextricably tied to resources such as food, energy, and biodiversity, and failure to recognize this interdependence can lead to global crises that threaten our very existence,” said Mellissa Withers, Director of the APRU Global Health Program and Professor at the University of Southern California.
“This conference challenges and inspires us to consider new approaches to advance social justice and identify comprehensive solutions to health challenges facing populations around the world.”
Mellissa Withers, Director of the APRU Global Health Program and Professor at the University of Southern California
Participants explored the intersection of humanities and healthcare to enhance people-centered and culturally sensitive practices. They also assessed the impact of economic crises and climate change on global health and discussed ethical considerations and guidelines in the age of AI and digital transformation.
“The timeliness of this topic is apparent from the role that health will play in the discussion of COP29, the United Nations’ Climate Change conference,” said Thomas Schneider, APRU’s Chief Executive. He cited Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health Maria Neira from the World Health Organization to stress the need for responses to climate change’s adverse health effects and the importance of ensuring that mitigation efforts yield health benefits.
Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU
In addition to panels and plenary sessions, APRU Global Health Conferences feature working group meetings that gather participants’ wisdoms to form policy insights and recommendations. Themes of the working group discussions include non-communicable diseases, mental health, global health education and technology, bioethics, humanitarian assistance and health.
“This conference constitutes far more than the typical academic gathering by proposing resilient strategies for planetary well-being, while integrating knowledge from diverse disciplines and practices,” said Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University.
“In essence, it is about confronting the growing complexity and interconnectedness of the challenges before us.”
Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University
The results of the APRU Global Health Virtual Case Competition and annual Global Health Student Poster Contest were announced during the conference.
The APRU Global Health 2025 will be held in November at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Planetary Health will continue to be a hot topic.