London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

In his keynote address to the conference: 'Beyond Longer Life', Professor Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “As health professionals, we should be humble and recognise that forces outside the health sector can be far more powerful in delivering health outcomes. We can provide science, technology and delivery systems, but it is only when these are in sync with politics and empowerment that we will be able to provide life to our years, and not only years to our lives”.

Gan Kim Yong, Singapore’s Minister for Health, said: “Health and health care will continue to dominate discussions on the sustainable growth and development of all nations. Asia, as home to more than half the human race, has a growing place in this discussion, due to changing demographics, the need to balance growth with sustainability and unfortunately, the emergence of new and threatening diseases such as SARS.”

The conference focused on the impact of health on Asian economies, innovations in health, financing health care and emerging health threats in Asia. Prof Piot also gave interviews to global media including BBC World Service and Channel NewsAsia.

Find out more

• World Health Summit 2013 Regional Meeting in Asia 
• Improving health in South East Asia – School projects and partnerships (publication and videos)