Forum discusses health issues affecting Apec nations

The National Business

THE Life Sciences Innovation Forum was held in Port Moresby yesterday as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) first senior officials meeting.
It is a body where Apec members discuss and develop solutions to health issues faced by member economies.
National Health Services Standard deputy secretary Dr Paison Dakulala noted how developments in this area led to “healthy economies”.
“The applied life sciences are critical to growth and socioeconomic development because healthy people produce healthy economies, innovations to make patient focused products and services which are efficient, effective and available,” he said.
“For example, (they) can improve a population’s longevity, wellness, productivity and economic potential.”
He also noted what Health and HIV-AIDS Minister Sir Puka Temu said about the forum being a key part of Apec.
Its achievements include:

  • The approval of Apec Life Science Strategic Plan in 2004 that contains recommendations for collective action and implementation schedule;
  • developing enablers investment checklist in 2007 that allows policy makers in Apec economies to assess their investment environment for life science innovation; and,
  • Creating the Health Science Academy for the region to further knowledge of health and health science innovations.