September 2006 NUI Galway hosts International Health Conference

The Irish Forum for Global Health is to host a two-day conference in conjunction with NUI Galway entitled "Equity Challenges in Global Health", on September 7th and 8th. The event, which is supported by Irish Aid, will bring together experts to debate the global challenges of addressing inequities in health and aims to identify ways in which Ireland can respond both globally and locally. The conference is an opportunity to connect individuals and organisations involved in relevant education, research and policy.

Diarmuid O'Donovan, a Senior Lecturer in NUI Galway's Department of Health Promotion, and Chairperson of the Irish Forum for Global Health, commented, "Despite dramatic improvements in certain areas, on a global level, the gap between the rich and poor in terms of healthcare is widening. HIV, AIDS, TB and malaria are huge problems for developing countries. This is an opportunity to debate the issues surrounding these problems and identify practical ways in which Ireland can help".

The conference, which is the Second Biennial Conference on this theme, will feature local and international presenters and include a series of workshops. The workshops will feature, among others, representatives from Ethiopia and South Africa, with the aim of establishing how individuals and organisations can work together more effectively to address healthcare issues.

Speakers will include leading figures in global health policy, research and advocacy:

• Dr Irene Agua Agyapong (Alliance for Health Systems & Policy Research)
• Dr Odile Leroy (European Developing Country Clinical Trials Partnership)
• Andrew Chetley (Healthlink International)
• Dr Hani Serag (People's Health Movement)
• Dr Vincent O'Neill (Irish Aid)

The aim of the Irish Forum for Global Health is to contribute to improvement in the health of individuals and populations globally by creating networks that will promote research and education and advocate for investment in global health.

For more information on the conference please visit http://www.conference.ie/index/index.asp or telephone 086 3166388.