Asia Pacific Forum
Tropical Health Innovation
8 - 10 July 2004
Cairns International Hotel
Cairns, Australia
Invitation from the Premier of Queensland
Innovative thinking is a cornerstone of modern economies, and a celebrated part of Queensland’s Smart State culture. We recognise that new challenges require innovative new solutions, with input from all those involved.
With this in mind, I invite the Asia-Pacific community to join together to develop strategies to address the pressing issues of tropical health in our region. Both communicable and non-communicable diseases create a significant burden on our health and lifestyle. Besides its serious health impact, the 2003 SARS epidemic was said to have cost the Asia-Pacific region almost $200 billion dollars in lost revenue.
Under the Smart State agenda, Queensland has developed world class medical research, biotechnology, biosecurity and clinical trials facilities which can play an important role in dealing with diseases.
Because we are located in the tropics, we share some common regional problems. This also affords us the opportunity to develop more effective networks and collaborations.
The vision of the 2004 Asia-Pacific Forum on Tropical Health Innovation is to identify “the big picture” challenges in the region, the very best approaches, technologies and solutions under development, and the appropriate social, medical and economic contexts in which these challenges and responses should be considered.
The Forum will be of interest to industry leaders, researchers, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, development agencies, philanthropic organisations and others who wish to harness good science and best practice in the fight to contain the burden of disease in Asia and the Pacific.
I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautiful tropical city of Cairns.
Peter Beattie, MP
Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade
Some of the keynote speakers are:
Sir Gustav Nossal, Australian of the Year 2000
Prof Alan Lopez, Head, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Australia
Dr John Clemens, Director, International Vaccine Institute, Korea
Prof Sornchai Looareesuwan, Secretary General, SEAMEO TROPMED, Thailand
Dr David Evans, Director, Global Program on Evidence for Health Policy, World Health Organization Geneva Dr Jane Thomason, Director, JTA International, Australia
Prof Michael Good, Director, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia
Prof Stuart Hazell, Vice President, PAN BIO Ltd, Australia
Dr Daniel Wang Nan Chee, Commissioner of Public Health, National Environment Agency, Singapore Dr Lye Munn Sann, Director, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia
Dr Ian Gardner, CEO, CRC for Diagnostics, Australia Dr Stephen Prowse, CEO, Biosecurity CRC, Australia
"Incorporating the Annual Scientific Meetings of the Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition and The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine.
For further information contact: Pauline Fraley
Email:paulineF@qimr.edu.au
or keep watching the web http://acithn.qimr.edu.au/asia-pacific for up-to-date information
