Boao Forum for Asia's 1st global health forum set for Qingdao

The Boao Forum for Asia is to hold its first Global Health Forum from June 11 to 12 in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, in a bid to enhance global health care-building.

The forum's Secretary-General Li Baodong made the announcement at a press briefing held on Saturday.

"National health is crucial to a country's sustainable development, and also is an important topic of discussion in the international community," Li said. "We still face many healthcare issues and topics, such as gene editing and anticancer drugs pricing, which are of great concern to all parties, and it is imperative that we hold a Global Health Forum to build a global platform for high-level discussion and cooperation."

The forum's theme is Health Beyond Health – In The Year of Sustainable Development 2030. The forum will cover sub-topics, such as "Universal Healthcare Coverage", "Health in All Policies", and "Innovation".

Margaret Chan, president of the Boao Forum for Asia's Global Health Forum and the honorary director-general of the WHO, said the forum will be "a world-class, comprehensive, and inclusive event for all healthcare professionals".

She said leaders of international healthcare, heads of relevant international agencies and non-governmental organizations, the most successful entrepreneurs and investors, as well as speakers from renowned scientific institutions will be invited. Relevant enterprises, inventors and institutions in health-related industries will showcase new products, technologies and solutions.

The healthcare industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the world, with the world's major developed countries actively developing their healthcare industries.

"These countries have maintained their advantages in higher-margin pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices and healthcare industries, along with a strong international voice and rule-making rights," Chan said at the press briefing. "Meanwhile, the vast number of developing countries is still mainly producing low-value-added primary products with uneven development in related industries."

The forum also will launch the Qingdao Initiative, addressing problems involving growing concerns regarding non-communicable diseases, tobacco use and alcohol consumption.

"We aim to promote healthy lifestyles and behaviors, advocate for daily physical activity and a healthy diet and prevent premature deaths from unhealthy lifestyles," Chan added. "At the same time, we will address issues regarding road safety, and hopefully help save more lives around the world."

Both Li and Chan agreed the host city, Qingdao, is an important coastal city in China, with a beautiful mountainous and oceanic environment.

"Qingdao is a remarkable city, with red tiles on the road, green trees along the streets, and sunny, sandy beaches with a blue ocean. The forum will once again make Qingdao the focus of the whole world after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao Summit," Chan said.