Events

CHAIRPERSON

Prof Mike Douglass, Asia Research Institute, and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

ABSTRACT

With the pressure of climate change, environmental degradation, and urbanisation as well as the widening of socio-economic disparities, the global population is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters. With a primary focus on medical and public health humanitarian response to disasters across Asia, Public Health Humanitarian Responses to Natural Disasters provides a critical analysis of public health responses to natural disasters. The author will share with the audience the key messages in the book and stories behind it.

Using case studies and examples of innovative disaster response measures developed by international agencies and stakeholders, this book illustrates how theoretical understanding of public health issues can be practically applied in the context of humanitarian relief response. Starting with an introduction to public health principles within the context of medical and public health disaster and humanitarian response, the book goes on to explore key trends, threats and challenges in contemporary disaster medical response.

This introductory book provides a comprehensive overview of an emergent discipline and offers a unique multidisciplinary perspective across a range of relevant topics including the concepts of disaster preparedness and resilience, and key challenges in human health needs for the twenty-first century. It will be of interest to students of public health, disaster and emergency medicine and development studies, as well as to development and medical practitioners working within NGOs, development agencies, health authorities and public administration.

A short pre-recorded video of the book author will be played in the beginning of the seminar and the book’s copy-editor will further discuss about the book with the audience.

ABOUT THE BOOK AUTHOR

Emily Ying Yang Chan serves as Professor and Assistant Dean (Development), Faculty of Medicine, and Associate Director (External Affairs and Collaboration), JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, CUHK; Director, Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), Centre for Global Health (CGH) and Centre of Excellence (ICoE-CCOUC), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR); Co-chairperson, WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency & Disaster Risk Management Research Group; member, Asia Science Technology and Academia Advisory Group (ASTAAG); Visiting Professor (Public Health Medicine), Oxford University Nuffield Department of Medicine; Senior Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and Visiting Scholar, FXB Center, Harvard University; and Honorary Professor, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong.

Awarded the 2007 Nobuo Maeda International Research Award of American Public Health Association, Professor Chan has published more than 200 international peer-reviewed academic/technical/conference articles and six academic books. The current title is the seventh. Her disaster-health related papers have been used as policy references within WHO and the Health Emergency Response Office of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Professor Chan also has extensive experience as frontline emergency relief practitioner in the mid-1990s that spans across 20 countries.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Wong Chi Shing serves as Publications Manager at CCOUC. He has a background in Journalism and Communication. Having worked as a journalist in a local English newspaper, Mr Wong received his Master in Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, focusing on democratization, ethnic politics and nationalism with regional foci in China and Southeast Asia.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free. We would greatly appreciate if you click on the “Register” button above to RSVP.