The ASEF Public Health Network participated in the 3rd UN WorldConference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held on 14-18 March in Sendai, Japan. At the public forum on 17 March organised by WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNISDR and partners, ASEF presented its Public Health Network’s activities on risk communications for public health emergency as a contribution to international efforts towards disaster risk reduction.
The public forum Protecting People’s Health from Disaster Risks featured over 25 experts from governments, international organisations and academics who shared best practices and lessons learnt from recent disasters. ASEF emphasised the importance of risk communications as a cross-cutting theme to be incorporated in the post-2015 disaster risk reduction framework. ASEF shared strategic recommendations for the public health community, developed from its previous workshops. ASEF also reiterated its commitment to facilitating knowledge exchange between Asian and European health professionals through workshops over the next 3 years.
ASEF Public Health Network’s next workshop is scheduled for early September 2015 in Malaysia.