Media

HKU To Hold an International Conference on Geographic Information System & Disease Surveillance

26 Jun 2006

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the first case of human-to-human transmission of the avian flu last week, the threat of a pandemic is imminent. The Department of Geography of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System (LREIS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences offer a timely platform in which how the Geographic Information System (GIS) – usually used in transport logistics – can help in avian flu monitoring, dengue surveillance and respiratory diseases modelling would be discussed.

Entitled 'Geospatial Research and Application Frontiers in Environmental and Public Health Systems', this three-day international conference is sponsored by the Croucher Foundation and the Professional Services Department Assistance Scheme (PSDAS) Fund of the HKSAR Government. Four leading experts and eminent scholars, Dr Charles Croner of the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Professor Wang Jinfeng of LREIS, as well as Professor Gerald Rushton of University of Iowa and Professor Tony Gatrell of Lancaster University would give keynote speeches. Also, a Thailand-based WHO medical officer responsible for avian flu monitoring, health officials from both Thailand and New Zealand, as well as representative from Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection, would join the panel discussions.

Members of the press are cordially invited to attend the conference, details of which are as follows:-
Date: June 27 – 29, 2006 (Tuesday – Thursday)
Time: 9am – 5pm (June 27)
9:30am – 5pm (June 28 & 29)
Venue: Jade Ballroom, Eaton Hotel, 380 Nathan Road, Kowloon

The opening ceremony, officiated by Dr P Y Lam, Director of Department of Health, and Professor Joseph Lee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of HKU, would be taken place on Tuesday, June 27, at 9am.

For enquiries, please contact Elsie Leung of HKU External Relations Office at 2859 2600.