Inaugural Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia held in China

The inaugural Global Health Forum (GHF) of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) was held in Qingdao, China, from June 10 to June 12.

Aimed at gathering global consensus on healthcare, pooling wisdom and resources in the medical industry and public health field, and drawing attention to pressing global health needs, GHF is centered on the theme of "Health Beyond Health -- In the Year of Sustainable Development 2030". With its slogan "Health for All", GHF discussed hotly-debated issues in health-related areas in the hope of promoting global cooperation, collecting goodwill and insight and building a healthy future for humankind. The second Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia will be held in June 2020 in Qingdao.

Several notable attendees spoke at the opening ceremony: Dr. Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, member of BFA Council of Advisors and President of GHF; Liu Jiayi, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shandong Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shandong People's Congress; Yasuo Fukuda, Chairman of BFA Council of Advisors and former prime minister of Japan; and Elhadji Amadou Gueye SY, Secretary-General of IFRC. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke to Forum attendees in a pre-recorded video message. Li Baodong, Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia, hosted the opening ceremony and also delivered remarks.

The Global Health Forum is a comprehensive, representative and authoritative platform for high-level dialogues and practical cooperation in the health field, linking governments, the business community and academia. With its focus on economic issues, the Boao Forum launched the GHF in 2018 as part of its exploration of other key fields. Following the guiding principles of the Astana Declaration, GHF seeks to achieve the integration of public policies and innovation in technology and commerce, making a commitment to enhancing primary healthcare by encouraging the international community to pool political will and realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. At the conference, the principals of national health departments of various countries, representatives of health-related international agencies and non-governmental organizations, representatives of industries, entrepreneurs, investors and notable scientists gathered for in-depth exchanges on health-related issues.

The conference was co-hosted by the Boao Forum for Asia and the People's Government of Shandong Province and co-organized by the Organizing Committee of the Global Health Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia and the Qingdao Municipal Government.

There were nine supporting agencies including the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, State Administration for Market Regulation, National Healthcare Security Administration, Chinese Academy of Engineering, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Medical Products Administration, China Disabled Persons' Federation and the Red Cross Society of China. The Forum was supported by institutions including the World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key events at the Forum included the opening ceremony, 28 sessions, 4 roadshows for innovation projects, 16 main activities and the opening ceremony of the Global Health Expo. Over 2,600 delegates from 55 countries attended the conference, including former heads of governments, leading academics, health ministers and officials of international organizations. Hosts and speakers included representatives from academia, entrepreneurs in innovation and health sectors, investors and scientists. Attendees also included policymakers from various fields at provincial and municipal levels, business representatives and scholars from universities and research institutions.

A Global Health Expo was held during the Forum, featuring exhibitions and providing opportunities for businesses in the medical industry to interact with businesses and institutions from sectors including finance, investment, science and technology and service. With over 100 innovation projects in the medical and public health industries on display, the Expo aimed to explore pragmatic measures to transform thought leadership into practical solutions and improve public health by implementing public policies and theories in healthcare.