Media Release
Is Climate Change Affecting Your Health?
Professor David Karoly, Climate Change Specialist, from the University of Melbourne will give
the keynote presentation addressing the international theme of ‘Protecting Health from Climate
Change’ to mark World Health Day at a Melbourne symposium on 7 April 2008.
“As global temperatures continue to rise we will experience a proportional increase in health
hazards, that will include: devastating natural disasters and heatwaves; higher rates of
waterborne diseases as a result of natural disasters; more diseases related to air pollution;
increase in large scale population displacement caused by rising sea level, drought and
famine” said Professor Karoly.
The inaugural ‘AMREP World Health Day Symposium’, will be held at Coppin Hall, 313 Punt
Road, Prahran – adjacent to The Alfred hospital.
Policy-makers, NGO’s, researchers and health professionals from across the globe will
examine the growing threats to global public health security that are caused by the adverse
effects of climate change, particularly in low income countries.
“The effects of climate change are unequivocal, nor do they discriminate between developed
and non-developed countries. This symposium gives us an extremely useful time for discussion
and points us towards best practice”, Professor Karoly said.
The symposium will provide an outstanding opportunity for researchers and public health
professionals to discuss ideas and formulate an affective way of addressing the issues of
climate change both in the design and implementation of global health initiatives.
The symposium also provides another platform to raise awareness of other global health issues
especially if the Australian Government is intending to “significantly increase its investments in
people in developing countries by strengthening national health systems and tackling major
diseases” (from the White Paper on the Australian Government’s Overseas Aid Program).
Therefore, an overarching theme for the day ‘Research supporting policy and practice in low-
and middle-income countries’ will seek to address fundamental issues in global health and
create opportunities to have an exchange of ideas on ways of improving links between
research and improving health program effectiveness and health policy in these countries. A
joint statement in conjunction with the Make Poverty History campaign and agreed upon
between the Burnet Institute, Monash University and World Vision will be made to urge the
Australian government to continue to expand its efforts in health aid.
Almost 200 delegates will attend this event with international speakers and delegates coming
from many other countries, including South Africa, India, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji
and Malaysia.
Hosted by the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP), this event is
organised by Monash University and the Burnet Institute. It is hoped that this will become an
annual event on World Health Day.
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For further information and interview opportunities, please contact:
Sharon Anuku (Burnet Institute)
Desmond Gul (Monash University)
03 9282 2240
(03) 9903 0140
0430 279 992
Sharon@burnet.edu.au
Desmond.Gul@med.monash.edu.au
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