Research Summit on Health-Related Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM)

CCOUC, in collaboration with participants of the WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network, organized a Research Summit on Health-Related Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong on 9-10 July 2018.

Supported by the Mok Hing Yiu Charitable Foundation and the CUHK Research Summit Series, this Research Summit brought together over 40 advanced PhD students, early faculty members and frontline practitioners in the forefront of H-EDRM research and practice from Bhutan, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Romania and USA. It was an honour to have invited 14 global experts and veteran on H-EDRM to share their knowledge and experience in H-EDRM research and evidence-based activities.

The Research Summit was opened by Professor Isabella Poon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Professor Emily YY Chan, Centre Director of CCOUC cum Co-chair of the Research Summit and Dr. Jonathan Abrahams, Disaster Risk Management Focal Point of the World Health Organization. They showed confidence that this trans-border Research Summit would prove stimulating and set another milestone for H-EDRM research agenda. A token of thanks was also presented to Mr. Christoper Mok from the Mok Hing Yiu Charitable Foundation for the generous support to the event.      

Capturing the multidisciplinary nature of H-EDRM research, the Research Summit was organised in 6 cross-cutting themes, namely Global Strategic Framework, Climate Change and Planetary Health, Practices on Disaster Management, Community Empowerment, Partnership in Action and Defining and Communicating Disaster Risks. An innovative research showcase was organised in each session to encourage young scientists to share their ongoing or completed researches on H-EDRM, followed by a panel discussion with the guest speakers and audience. The research showcase sessions were positively received by all participants for fostering an environment of meaningful dialogue and facilitated exchange of research ideas. Several research gaps were identified at the Research Summit and concrete actions were proposed during the Closing Remark in bringing H-EDRM research to a global platform to change practices that can further reduce hazards and disaster risks, especially in health.

Overall, the Research Summit signifies and reiterates CCOUC’s commitment in strengthening collaborations to promote the generation of evidence in this multidisciplinary field which crosses the disciplinary boundaries of emergency and disaster medicine, disaster risk reduction, community health resilience, health system resilience and health impact of climate change. It also showcases CUHK’s research strength and its leading role in H-EDRM research field.

The list of guest speakers, presentations and research showcase can be found at page 2-3 of the programme booklet below: