Global Health Issues Event Preview

Faculty of Medicine and Mochtar Riady Institute (MRIN) Building

Between 2^nd – 4^th December 2015, UPH will host an international global health conference along with Biola University. The conference is centered around the theme of Christian responses to the global health issue and will be opened for public audiences. This conference is a multidisciplinary discourse that will involve doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, as well as students to engage and discuss global health issues holistically as a mandate from Christ involving the work of healing.

Global health issues are important in the world today. In spite of major advances in science and technology as well as improvement in economic status, the world has not become a healthier place. This is because many new diseases have also evolved and the world is beginning to recognize that health is a result of many components. Health is not just one individual component; we need to address health as a whole, with a holistic appreciation of concerning all factors which affect the body, the mind, and the spirit.

This is an important issue for health care professionals to understand. Hence, this conference looks at the effect of economic disadvantage, lack of communication, a role of education, and prevention, as well as the importance of mental health. This is why the conference will emphasize the importance of holistic approach to health as an outcome which aims to transform the whole person and restore a person to physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The world needs to understand this importance concept. Christian health care is concerned not just on the physical, but also the healing of the mind and spirit.

UPH as a Christian education institution needs to train and teach its student to be healers rather than just cures. All in the healthcare profession need to be aware of the concept of the need to be healers of the people, who are called to care for a person holistically, and for the Christians, this could only be done with conviction and faith in Christ.   Christians and the teaching from the Bible give a vision of how one can make a difference holistically and care for humans as a whole. Christians need to see the effect of diseases destroying not only the body but the individual as a whole.

Prof. George Matthew

One of the goals of the conference is to invite the participants to have a common understanding of holistic healing. There will be representatives from various countries in Asia and Africa, as well as the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The conference will invite various Christian institutions and educational institutions in the country, with a focus on encouraging and engaging the students of Medicine and Nursing. There will be invited participants from the public as well.

The topics that will be covered in this conference includes: Christians response to medical care in resource constrained and economically challenged environment, Christian response to emerging Global Health issues, Christian response to emerging technologies and treatment, and Christian response to incurable disease, pain and dying.

Through this conference, we hope a forum in Asia will develop to address global health issue holistically while serving Christ.

By: Prof. George Matthew MBBS, MS, MD, FCAMS,

Executive Dean of UPH Faculty of Medicine and Health Science

UPH Media Relations