South-East Asia Regional Conference on Epidemiology

16 | <strong>South</strong>-<strong>East</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>Regional</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Epidemiology
About the papers
The proceedings include most of the presentations that were made in the SEA <strong>Regional</strong> <strong>Conference</strong>
on Epidemiology. Due to unavoidable reasons, five presentations could not be included. To give an
overview of these presentations to readers, we are providing here a brief summary of each:
1. Special Lecture
Power of free access to public health data for exploration, monitoring and advocacy
(Hans ROSLING)
Dr Hans Rosling enunciated novel analyses and demonstration methods for easy comprehension of
data. He stressed that the statistical agency/public health institute should standardize the quality of
data which should be available in machine-readable format. Society and any category of user should
recognize the source of any data for global good. Mechanisms should be established for sharing
of the data so that innovation in the use of modern information technology for communicating
epidemiological information in an interesting way is encouraged.
We strongly recommend the website http://www.gapminder.org where some of the interesting
presentations of Dr Hans Rosling can be accessed.
2. Plenary on Epidemiology: Ensuring Health Security
Pandemic (H1N1) influenza: An overview and lessons learnt (Keiji FUKUDA)
Dr Keiji Fukuda described the dynamics of the influenza pandemic (2009) with some of its striking
patterns. These included a predilection for complications and deaths among the younger age groups and
viral pneumonia as the primary presentation. The important lessons learnt from the H1N1 pandemic
are to build into the preparedness plan adequate flexibility and adaptability to events and to obtain
public cooperation through effective communication.
3. Plenary on Research to Policy: Walking on a Bumpy Road
Epidemiology: A tool for community action (Abhay BANG)
Dr Abhay Bang made a strong case for use of research outcomes in policy formulation. The current
model of research, decision-making, policy-shaping and action has too many barriers, and often ends
in failure. The community and researchers should jointly identify the problem, collect data, analyse it
and share these with the community to solve local problems. He called this participatory epidemiology
which can solve local problems and may even shape global policies.
4. Parallel session on Disease Epidemiology, Modelling and Innovation
Social innovation and civic participation: A new shape of the development in India
(RC MISHRA)
Dr R.C. Mishra highlighted the paradigm shift in India in health services with the private sector
acquiring an important role. Innovative methods have been used for the delivery of services which
have direct linkages with the social determinants of health. Efficient and successful implementation of
this warrants a practical business model.
5. Parallel session on Disease Epidemiology, Modelling and Innovation
Agent-based computational modelling in epidemiology (R HAMMOND)
Dr R. Hammond explained agent-based computational modelling in epidemiology in this session.