The impact of the built environment on our health, wellbeing and quality of life will be the focus of presentations by leading international local and global organizations from both the medical and architecture professions at the 11th Design & Health World Congress & Exhibition at the Hong Kong Kowloon East, Crowne Plaza Hotel this week.
The congress will start with opening speech of the Secretary for Food and Health Dr KO Wing-man with his remark to the congress followed by several keynote speeches by global experts from both academia and industry on the latest research finding and their application. The congress comprises 3 days of plenary sessions, ending on the Saturday with last session for Ministerial Panel discussion including former Secretary of health Dr. E K Yeoh, Deputy Minister of Health of Vietnam, prof. Pham Le Tuan as well as Minister of Health from South Africa, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
International Academy for Design and Health is a unique international forum for the exchange of ideas about innovation in the future design of health systems, services and facilities around the world.
As global health systems seek ways to address the 21st century challenges of chronic disease, ageing populations and rising healthcare costs, the Congress will explore a new paradigm that focuses on the role played by the physical environment and our lifestyle choices in the prevention of disease and the promotion of health, rather than on medical intervention, drug development and the curing of disease.
Global visionaries in the fields of design, health and urbanism will lead the debate, including Dr. Ken Yeang father of Ecological architecture and author of Ecological Architecture and Green Design and Prof. Joseph Sung president/ Vice chancellor of Chinese University of Hong Kong discussing the Health challenges in Hong Kong.
Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Health Minister of South Africa will explore the need of healthy infrastructure in African country and health affordability and he will introduce the next World Congress on Design & Health in Johannesburg inviting delegates on the vision and challenges of African healthcare infrastructure.
The congress will address the challenges of design for elderly care in Asia and design for children and future generations.
Sessions will include presentations by the full range of disciplines involved in the creation and use of the healthcare built environment. This will ensure we have the broadest dialogue possible between architects, designers, health planners, engineers, public-health specialists, physicians, health administrators and others.
On the final evening of the congress on Saturday night, the annual Design & Health International Academy Awards will be presented at a gala dinner. The awards are judged by leading international researchers and practitioners in the field, and perform a vital advocacy role globally, rewarding and recognizing excellence and helping to benchmark design quality.
The congress will conclude with a choice of study tours around leading Hong Kong healthcare facilities on Sunday 19th of July.
Prof Alan Dilani, founder of the IADH, commented: “The key message of the Congress will be to promote the role of design in creating a healthy society. The 20th Century dominance of the medical and pharmaceutical industry has led to the commercialization of sickness and ill health, which we can no longer afford. We must now look for ways to commercialize better health and explore how the designed environment can facilitate healthier lifestyle choices.”
The full scientific program will challenge the audience to discuss the factors that contribute to the successful creation of a healthy society. Sessions will include presentations by physicians as well as psychologists, designers, architects, planners, artists, nursing professionals and economists.
The trends and influences on design and health around the world – including Australia, the Middle East, China, India, South East Asia, Africa, Europe and North America – will be debated, with presentations on the latest research findings on topics that include health promotion, sustainable design, research-based design, healthy communities, mental health, senior care and government health policy.
For full details of the Final Program of the 11th Design & Health World Congress and download the final program visit: http://www.designandhealth.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Prof. Alan Dilani, Founder
International Academy for Design & Health
T: +852 94 713120
W: www.designandhealth.com