Source: School of Public Health
Written by: School of Public Health
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On November 23-24, 2019, the 2nd International Symposium on One Health Research in China, jointly sponsored by Sun Yat-sen University, Griffith University, South China Agricultural University, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University and China One Health Research Center, was held in bio-island, Guangzhou. Tai Zhongzhi, vice president of Sun Yat-sen University; dean Bonnie Barber from Griffith University; Deng Yiqun, vice president of South China Agricultural University; Li Mengfeng, president of Southern Medical University; Wang Xinhua, president of Guangzhou Medical University; Li Haizhou, head of Haizhu District People's Government of Guangzhou; Professor W. Ian Lipkin form Columbia University; academician Chen Junshi from China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment; and academician Xia Xianzhu from the Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine at Academy of Military Medical Sciences, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Professor Lu Jiahai from Sun Yat-sen University is an advocator and practitioner of one health in China, and also the initiator of this conference. The opening ceremony was chaired by Hao Yuantao, dean of School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University.

The aim of this international symposium on one health research is to promote one health research cooperation and practice in relevant fields in China and Asia, jointly address the challenges faced by human, animal and environmental health under new situation, and encourage young researchers to carry out practice and exploration in this field. The theme of this forum include emerging infectious diseases and zoonoses, food safety and antibiotic resistance, environmental health and policy. Research experts from public health, clinical medicine, veterinary medicine, environmental science, agricultural science and many other disciplines jointly call for interdisciplinary cooperation and exchange to deal with global health problems.

The conference lasted for two days, and about 300 experts and scholars in the fields of infectious diseases, food safety and antibiotic resistance from 16 countries and regions including China, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Ghana, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macao attended the symposium. Among them, 59 top experts from China and abroad shared their reports on areas of emerging infectious diseases, zoonoses, antibiotic resistance, food safety, one health and environmental policy.

The “Pearl River Declaration” reached at the end of the conference is an important achievement of this conference. The Pearl River Declaration takes the public health response of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area as an opportunity to elaborate and implement the strategy of harmonious human development from the perspective of human health, animal health and environmental health. This meeting also received attention and reports from Guangdong TV, Southern Media, Southern Daily and other media.