The National Rural Health Alliance, the peak body for rural health in Australia, will hold a virtual Q&A session on Monday 25 May 2020 in advance of the 7th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium in May 2021.
The virtual session brings together three keynote speakers:
– Professor Anthony Capon, Director, Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University
– Professor Pierre Horwitz, Professor of Environmental Sciences, Edith Cowan University
– Dr Laura Weyrich, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
The presentations are available to watch now and questions can be submitted to conference@ruralhealth.org.au by 14 May 2020, for inclusion in an online Q&A session to be posted on 25 May 2020.
National Rural Health Alliance CEO Dr Gabrielle O’Kane said that while all three keynote speakers have different areas of expertise, the theme that connects them is the link between the health of people in rural communities and the environment in which they live.
“Professor Capon, Professor Horwitz and Dr Weyrich are all engaging speakers and leaders in their field, and we’re delighted to be able to bring them together for this virtual session,” said Dr O’Kane.
“This virtual session will give people a good preview of the 2021 Symposium, and open up this content for free to everyone with an interest in rural health.
“It’s so important, when we talk about rural health, to consider the environment in which people live. This is more important than ever as we face a global pandemic and recover from recent bushfires and other extreme weather events.
“Professor Capon and Professor Horwitz have fascinating presentations that speak of global issues affecting planetary health such as climate change. Professor Horwitz in particular highlights community-led responses to these environmental issues and how public health and environmental conservation can often go hand-in-hand.
“We are also glad to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in focus for this virtual session. Dr Weyrich in particular explores what the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander microbiome reveals about their deep connection to country.
The 7th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium will then be held as a face-to-face event in Alice Springs on 24-25 May 2021.
Source: National Rural Health Alliance