The inaugural Global Health Thought Leadership Dialogue; Small Countries, Global Impact: Shaping the Future of Global Health was held on 13 August 2024 at the NUS Shaw Foundation Alumni House.
Jointly organised by the NUS Global Health Office and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, the dialogue features a distinguished panel of global health experts and thought leaders, coming together to discuss the role that small countries can play in the global health landscape.
The panel comprised of Dr Margaret Chan, Emeritus Director-General of the World Health Organization and Vanke Chair Professor at Tsinghua University; Professor Ilona Kickbusch, Co-chair of the Council of the World Health Summit and Global Health Advisor to the German Chancellor and European Union President; Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation and Former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization; and Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Global Health Advisor to the Thai Minister of Public Health and Senior Global Health Leader to ASEAN. The dialogue was moderated by Professor Teo Yik Ying, NUS Vice President (Global Health) and Dean of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.
Amid shifting megatrends and geopolitical dynamics, tensions between major powers are causing global fragmentation. The weakening of the United Nations’ global governance and the erosion of multilateralism are among the most concerning developments of the 21st century. Countries that once thrived on interconnectedness and interdependence are now facing significant challenges due to escalating geopolitical tensions, which have undermined consensus on pandemic preparedness, climate action, and conflict resolution.
In view of this, the dialogue discussed how countries like Singapore, though small, can make significant contributions to global health development. The panelists discussed how these nations can advance global public health in an equitable manner, leveraging on innovative technology and public health modeling. The panelists also highlighted different stakeholder groups such as the government, non-governmental organisations and academia, can form meaningful collaborations and synergise to advance public health.
Media Coverage:
全球公卫专家：未来三五年再有大流行 多国恐难应对, Lianhe Zaobao Online, 14 August 2024