The 10th International Conference 

on Public Health (10^th ICPH)

Theme:

"Prevention and Preparedness of Future Global Health Crisis: 

Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic”.

Background:

COVID-19 is a disaster without recent parallels. The coronavirus pandemic has been the biggest disaster in living memory by almost any measure. Globally, in three years more than 6.8 million people have died from COVID-19 (Smith-Schoenwalder, 2023). Another article reported an estimate of more than 7.3 million people worldwide killed due to COVID-19, including more than one million people in the United States, 800,000 in Russia, 690,000 in Brazil, and 530,000 in India. As of March 9, 2023, Indonesia registered 160,941 deaths from the coronavirus. Those estimates are considered to be an undercount, with some reports estimating the true death toll is more than double the official count (Troeger, 2023; Statista, 2023).

Amidst the disastrous impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, international policy attention on global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) has been laudable but inadequate. All countries remain dangerously unprepared for future outbreaks and another public health emergency. Some did not have a plan for a disease outbreak of this magnitude. Others had allowed key elements of their preparedness to fall back into previous patterns – for example, cutting spare bed capacity in hospitals in the name of efficiency, leaving healthcare systems unable to handle the sudden increase in COVID-19 patients. Crucially, many countries had not invested sufficiently in preparedness at the local level and were not able to leverage the local preparedness that did exist (IFRC, 2023; Stefan et al., 2023).

The countries most successful in fighting the spread of COVID-19 (e.g.  Indonesia) had built resilient healthcare systems and social safety nets, and they had learned the lessons of previous coronavirus outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. These countries still had to adapt and still found aspects of the pandemic difficult, but they had a cushion that others did not (IFRC, 2023).

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught countries and people worldwide valuable lessons, and it is important to review and assess actions that have been taken to determine what worked and what didn’t. Countries and societies need to be better prepared for future public health crises and this should be done through actions in different areas including investing in and strengthening the public health workforce, improving surveillance of infectious diseases, enhancing risk communication and community engagement, and embracing collaboration among organizations, countries, and regions (ECDC, 2023).

The InterAction Council, an international organization established in 1983 consisting of  a group of former world leaders, which aims to address long-term, global issues facing humankind, proposes eight key recommendations for future pandemic preparedness and emergency responses (Nurse, 2023):

1. Build Back Green: Invest in solutions that address the climate crisis and enable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
2. Enable the Digital Transformation: Continue the rapid digital shift during the pandemic to create connected communities that can share learning, find solutions, and respond at scale to building back green.
3. Courageous and Collaborative Leadership: For the wellbeing of future generations, to apply learning from the pandemic, re-scaling up emergency processes and unified efforts to address the climate and environmental crisis; empower young people with the skills and experience required to address emergencies and secure a healthy planet for all.
4. Establish an Independent Global Emergency Mechanism: This mechanism is tasked with enhanced surveillance and monitoring, risk assessment and detection, with rapid alert and response systems. Such an organization needs to be able to establish a global and multi-sector response at speed and communicate freely, have independent governance, and be able to collaborate and mobilize action across the international community.
5. Invest in Emergency Preparedness and Response: Invest sufficient budget for pandemic preparedness, including public health preventative measures and research.
6. Strengthen Public Health and Health Protection: Invest in and enhance essential public health operations and services that are embedded within national health systems to enable national, regional, and local coordination and surge capacity during outbreaks.
7. Enhance links with Multi-Sector Emergency Mechanisms: Ensure that health risks and pandemic preparedness planning are incorporated across global, national, regional, and local emergency planning systems and governance mechanisms.
8. Increase Research into Prevention and Preparedness: Invest a sufficient budget for research into pandemic preparedness; investing in research on the effectiveness of preventative and health protection measures provides the most scope for reducing avoidable deaths, whilst maximizing economic savings, and reducing global security impacts.

Based on the aforementioned background, there is a need for conducting a conference where resource-persons from across different disciplines present their relevant topics and along with participants discuss and share their views about the issues to better avert and prepare for the next global health threats.

Name of the Conference:

The 10th International Conference on Public Health (10th ICPH)

Theme:

“Prevention and Preparedness of Future Global Health Crisis:  Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic”

Aims:

This conference aims to discuss strategic areas required for the prevention and preparedness of future global health threats through lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. It addresses how the healthcare system and societies can prevent, respond, recover, and prepare more effectively for future public health emergencies.  It highlights strategic areas including organizational and political leadership and commitment as well as investment required at national and local levels, to combat unexpected future disasters. 

Venue and Date:

The Alana Hotel, Solo (Surakarta), Indonesia, September 20-21, 2023.

Programs:

The 10^th ICPH presents three programs: 

• Day 1 (September 20, 2023): Symposium presenting international invited speakers and poster presentation of health research work by participants
• Day 2: (September 21, 2023): Oral and poster presentation of health research work by participants.

The oral presentation will be conducted in five different rooms according to the field of study: (1) Epidemiology; (2) Health promotion and behavior; (3) Maternal and Child Health; (4) Health Policy and Management; and (5) Medicine and Others. Posters will be displayed for two days along the provided venue alleys in the hotel. The posters are pre-designed and produced by the conference committee using the participant research abstracts.

Invited International Speakers: 

Prof. Joanna Nurse (United Kingdom) Topic: “Leadership Lessons from a Global Health Crisis – From the Pandemic to the Climate Emergency”   Dr. Joanna Nurse is a Strategic Advisor to the InterAction Council on global health issues. In this position, she is advancing a collaborative partnership on “One Health for People and Planet” with the major task of promoting leadership for planetary health, as well as enhancing systems for cross-sector working, underpinned by peace, security, and sustainable development. The InterAction Council is an independent international organization comprising of a group of former world leaders, established in 1983 to address long-term global issues facing humankind.

Joanna is the author of the book “Leadership Lessons from a Global Health Crisis From the Pandemic to the Climate Emergency”. Dr. Joanna Nurse has gained extensive experience at local, regional, national, and international levels, including a position in the UK Government and several public policy leadership positions in the WHO over ten years. Initially qualifying as a medical doctor and training in Primary Health Care, she is specializing in Public Health and receiving a PhD in Policy, and is now a visiting Professor in Planetary Health at Southampton University.

Prof. Sibasis Hense (India) Topic: “How Digital Health and Pandemic Preparedness Proved a Game Changer? A Case of Singapore in COVID-19 Management"    Dr. Sibasis is an Assistant Professor working for the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Central University of Kerala, India. He received his PhD in Public Health from the School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.

Dr. Hense has also earned an MPH from Southern Cross University (SCU), Lismore campus in NSW, Australia. Dr. specializes in public health with a focus on human resources for health and qualitative research, and his areas of expertise include health management, information technology (IT) in healthcare, and migration studies of healthcare professionals.

Dr. Sibasis has over five years of experience both in academics and industry in different domains of healthcare, mainly in the Asia-Pacific region. He was appointed as a “Trusted Mentor” by the Honorable High Commissioner, Government of Australia, in New Delhi to support stronger research and education connection with India through the Australian government’s prestigious Endeavour Award.

Prof. Janelle Thompson (Singapore) Topic: “The One Health Perspective to Improve Environmental Surveillance of Zoonotic Viruses: Lesson from COVID-19 and Outlook Beyond"    Dr Janelle Thompson is an Associate Professor in Water Quality and Extremophile Biotechnology. She received her PhD (Joint Program in Biological Oceanography) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Civil and Environmental Engineering) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Biology), USA in 2005.

Janelle is an environmental microbiologist and engineer working in the Asian School of the Environment at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is also a principal investigator at the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE). Janelle’s research and teaching are driven by a desire to achieve a sustainable future through careful stewardship of energy and water resources. Her research uses tools of modern molecular ecology, environmental genomics, and systems biology to investigate the roles and applications of microorganisms in natural and engineered contexts.

Prof. Adang Bachtiar  Topic: “The Investing in Health Promotion to Prepare for the Next Global Health Crisis"    Dr. Adang Bachtiar was the President of the Indonesian Association of Public Health Professionals (Ikatan Ahli Kesehatan Masyarakat Indonesia) and currently is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of this organization. He works as a lecturer at the Department of Health Policy and Administration, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Dr. Adang Bachtiar holds a Medical Doctor degree from Universitas Indonesia (Indonesia), a Master of Public Health from Harvard University (USA), and a Doctor of Science from Johns Hopkins University (USA). He had a post-doctoral training in Advance Statistics at the University of Michigan (USA). He teaches coursework in Quantitative Research Methodology, Health Policy, Health Planning and Management, Quality Assurance, and Human Resource Management. From 200 to present he has been a Senior Researcher at the Center for Health Administration and Policy Studies (CHAPS) at Universitas Indonesia. 

Dr. Joel Rey Ugsang Acob  Topic: “Pandemic Recovery Plan: The Philippines Experience” Dr. Joel Rey Acob is an assistant professor and clinical instructor working at the Faculty of Nursing, Visayas State University, Main Campus - Baybay City, Leyte, the Philippines. Dr. Joel Acob received Master of Arts in Nursing majoring in Medical-Surgical Nursing from South-Western University, Cebu City, Philippines in 2011.

He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science from St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines, in 2019. Dr. Joel Acob is a Registered Nurse in the Philippines.

Dr. Acob has an extensive research and teaching collaboration network with several health institutions in Indonesia, including Stikes Mamba’ul Ulum, Surakarta, Indonesia. On November 9 to 10, 2022, he was awarded as the Distinguished Health Researcher by the Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC) at the Regional Health Research Symposium, the Summit Hotel, Marasbaras, Tacloban City. EVHRDC is an organization in Eastern Visayas that aims to communicate health research findings to promote optimal health and quality of life for people.

Dr. Hanung Prasetya  Topic: “Wellness Life Style to Strengthen Individual Mental Resilience in the Event of Global Health Crisis” Dr. Hanung Prasetya is a senior lecturer and Head of the Department of Acupuncture, School of Health Polytechnics, Ministry of Health, Surakarta, Indonesia. He also works as an adjunct lecturer at various health institutions, including Universitas Kusuma Husada and Master’s Program in Public Health at Universitas Sebelas Maret in Surakarta, Indonesia.

Dr. Hanung Prasetya holds Sarjana Keperawatan (Bachelor's degree in Nursing) from Study Program in Nursing at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran (Bandung, Indonesia), a Master of Health Psychology from Universitas Gadjah Mada (Yogyakarta, Indonesia), and a Doctorate in Human Empowerment from Universitas Sebelas Maret (Surakarta, Indonesia). Dr. Prasetya is a health practitioner with certificates and licenses in various applied health sciences, including Communication Skills, Neuro-linguistics, Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy, Mental Health, Graphology, and Acupuncture. 

Dr. Hanung has spoken at numerous seminars and conducted hypnosis and wellness training at the national and international levels. His areas of interest are health promotion, wellness, holistic health, neuro-linguistics, hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and generally alternative and complementary medicine. He works as a consultant in health promotion and wellness for various mining companies. Dr. Hanung Prasetya is the founder and owner of Yayasan Sinergi Berjaya Indonesia.

Dr. Inne Yuliawati, SpKP Topic:  “Innovative Approach to Prevent and Overcome Air Travel Fear During Pandemic: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic” Dr. Inne Yuliawati is an aviation medicine specialist currently working at the MMC Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia. In addition, she is an aviation security inspector for the Ministry of Transportation. Dr. Yuliawati is designated as a medical examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Dr. Yuliawati graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia. She earned her Aviation Medicine Specialist from Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta.

Aris Widiyanto, SKep, Ns, MKM., MKep  Topic:  “Community-Based Waste Management Model to Help Prevent Future Global Health and Climate Threats: Experience from Magelang District, Central Java, Indonesia”  Aris Widiyanto works as a lecturer at Mamba’ul Ulum School of Health Sciences, Solo, Indonesia. He received his first degree in Nursing (SKep) from Universitas Sahid, Solo, Indonesia. He studied further and received a Master of Public Health (MKM) from the Master’s Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret, in Solo, Indonesia. Aris Widiyanto earned a Master of Nursing (MKep) from Strada Institute of Health Sciences, Kediri, Indonesia. He is a registered nurse in Indonesia.

Aris Widiyanto teaches various coursework, including Health Promotion, Research Methodology, Pediatric Nursing, Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Nursing Methodology. He has received awards including the Best Oral Presentation at the International Conference of Public Health in 2021 and Adhi Strada Cendekia from the Strada Institute of Health Sciences in 2022

Aris Widiyanto’s passion, time, and energy are to a large extent dedicated to the community. For a decade he has carried out a lot of community services in rural and urban areas in the islands of Java and Sumatra. He delivers disease screening services to the community twice a month.

Table 1 shows the list of the invited international speakers along with the topics of their expertise for the 10th ICPH.

Participants:

Participants of the conference will include students of allied health sciences, public health professionals, health practitioners, academicians, policymakers, health planners, and health administrators.

Products:

Proceedings Proceedings of research abstracts will be printed and distributed to the participants. It is also uploaded online at the ICPH website. The proceedings of full-text papers will not be printed; instead, they will be uploaded online at the ICPH website. 

Contact Person:

For inquiry and more information about the ICPH registration, please contact the following persons:

1. Dr. Hanung Prasetya (08122638908)

2. Anggun Fitri Handayani, S.Tr.Keb., MKM (081225095742)

3. Ayu Novita Wulandari, S.Tr.Kes., MKM (082281301325)

4. Etanaulia Marsim, S.Tr.Kes., MKM (085840530580)

5. Elsa Tursina, S.Tr.Akup., MKM (085655751077)

Chair of The Conference:

Prof. Bhisma Murti

Organizing Institution:

Master's Program in Public Health, Graduate School, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta (Solo) 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. ICPH website: https://icph.s2ikmuns.com/index.php/icph

Reference:

ECDC (2023). ECDC presents lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. https://www.ecdc.­europa.­eu/en/­news-events/ecdc-presents-lessons-learned-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed on August 23, 2023.

IFRC (2023). Trust, equity, and local action. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to avert the next global crisis. International Federation of Red Cross and Red  Crescent Societies. https://www.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20230126­_WDR22_ExecutiveSummary.pdf. Accessed on August 23, 2023.

Nurse J (2020). The potential role of China in advancing the COVID-19 policy framework. https://www.interactioncouncil.org/media-centre/potential-role-china-advancing-covid-19-policy-framework. Accessed on August 24, 2023.

Smith-Schoenwalder C (2023). Three years of death – and finger-pointing. https://www.usnews.­com/­news/the-report/articles/2023-03-10/three-years-into-the-pandemic-who-is-dying-from-covid-19-now. Accessed on August 23, 2023.

Statista (2023). Total number of deaths from COVID-19 in Indonesia as of March 9, 2023(weekly update). https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103816/indonesia-covid-19-number-of-deaths/. Accessed on August 24, 2023.

Stefan C, Talbot T, Glassman A, Fan V, Hevey E, and Smitham E (2023). The next pandemic: if we can’t respond, we’re not prepared. https://reliefweb.int/report/­world/­­next-pandemic-if-we-cant-respond-were-not-prepared?gclid=­EAIaI­QobCh­MIrb2C1_HzgAMVBEYrCh1Pjgf3EAAYAyAAEgI9KvD_BwE. Accessed on August 24, 2023.