Kunshan, May 30, 2015 ‘ Duke Kunshan University held a two-day forum themed on “reform of chronic non-communicable diseases and the Chinese medical system” on May 29 – 30 in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. A first for the university, the Kunshan Forum attracted medical experts and scholars in the health field from around 50 of the world’s leading universities and research institutions from China and abroad. Delegates engaged in a range of pertinent topics, including joint research projects and health care reform, with a focus on non-communicable diseases and China’s health care reform.
The Forum gathered experts from government, universities, enterprises and the public, with the aim of promoting health research in the context of globalization, and to explore what the “new normal” of China’s economic growth will mean for innovation in the healthcare sector.
Duke Kunshan University chancellor, Mr. Liu Jingnan said: “This forum provides an excellent opportunity for health practitioners to enrich their scientific knowledge, explore new research opportunities, expand areas of cooperation, and incubate new innovations for the industry. For the Chinese government, healthcare has become a focal point in terms of economic, scientific, and social policy. Thus, the Kunshan Forum was formed to help address the practical needs of the health sector and the severe challenges it currently faces.”
Mary Brown Bullock, PhD, executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University and a trustee of China Medical Board, remarked: “China’s economic reform and opening policy continues to support the rapid development of the Chinese economy, and has significantly raised living standards for millions of Chinese citizens. Chinese society now has a shared vision to move beyond merely satisfying people’s basic needs, but to achieve a better quality of life for everyone. In this context, the Kunshan Forum is particularly relevant.”
Focus on non-communicable diseases
Non-communicable diseases topped the agenda at the Forum and delegates heard from some of Asia’s leading experts in the field. Distinguished speakers included Dr. Han Tieru, Former WHO Deputy Regional Director of the Western Pacific Region, who spoke about the WHO’s 2025 global targets for controlling non-communicable diseases, as well as the organization’s China operations. Mr. Zheng Zhijie, Distinguished Professor and Dean of Shanghai Jiaotong University’s School of Public Health, led a discussion on policy and environmental measures for non-communicable disease prevention and control. Mr. Tang Shenglan, Duke University professor and Director of the Global Health Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, Ms. Yan Lijing, associate professor at Duke University, and other well-known scholars, discussed the latest trends in non-communicable diseases in China, highlighting some of the groundbreaking research currently underway into prevention and control measures for a range of the country’s most pressing non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension, obesity, and mental illness.
Healthcare system reform
The reform of China’s medical system was also discussed in-depth at the Forum. During the morning session on May 29, Mr. Ge Yanfeng, Director General, Development Research Center of the State Council, discussed some of the processes and challenges of China’s medical reform program. In addition, Dr. Enis Bari??, World Bank Health, Nutrition and Population practice manager, Dr. Claudia Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, managing partner of McKinsey Shanghai, and Mr. Joseph Cho, managing director, China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment R&D-Based Pharmaceutical Association Committee (RDPAC), explored the practical implications and future development prospects of China’s medical reform, based on their extensive experience in the healthcare industry.
Other notable speakers at the Kunshan Forum included professors from some of the world’s leading research institutions, including Oxford University, Stanford University, and Peking University. They provided compelling insights into an array of important issues, and taking an in-depth look at specific aspects of China’s healthcare system.
Urbanization and environmental health
In the afternoon of May 30, the 2nd “Healthy-Polis” workshop was held, with the theme “Challenges and opportunities for Urban Environmental Health and Sustainability”. The workshop was run by the Healthy-Polis Academic Alliance and chaired by Keith Dear, professor at Duke Kunshan University’s Global Health Research Center.
The Healthy-Polis Academic Alliance is a joint collaboration involving Public Health England (PHE), Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) and the Australian National University (ANU). The initiative helps coordinate the activities of interested international research groups working in the areas of environmental health and sustainable development. At the workshop in Kunshan, experts and scholars of varied nationalities delivered progress reports on international studies that address climate change and promote environmental health. The researchers discussed the critical need to translate research results into practical action to effectively respond to climate and environmental risks facing the urbanization process, and the best ways to achieve this.
“Economic development and urbanization have understandably led to concerns about environmental and health issues in the Chinese society. The Kunshan Forum seeks to address these concerns by shining the beacon of academic innovation on the challenges facing China’s healthcare sector to support its development and be part of the broader solution. After all, improving the quality of people’s lives is one of the greatest contributions academia can make to humanity,” concluded chancellor Liu Jingnan.
