The National Press Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) established in 1975 to provide educational opportunities for journalists in Washington, around the U.S. and internationally.
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Avian flu and Other Increasing Health Risks in Our Globalized World
The archived video of the “Increasing Health Risks of Our Globalized World” program is available on the Kaiser Network.
Avian flu is real in Asia – and scientists fear mutations could transform it into a global pandemic. Those worries have been in the headlines for the past months. Further, with the Gulf Coast hurricanes Americans saw many health and social problems surface in their own country, such as waterborne diseases, infections, and the consequences of poverty. Here and abroad, children join the elderly in being the most vulnerable of populations. With the other side of the world just a plane ride away global health has turned into something more akin to neighborhood health – and all of it of vital interest to reporters, editors and broadcasters as they serve to inform and enlighten the public on these issues.
This unique and important program for journalists brought the world's leading experts on global health together with journalists for rare, candid, on-the-record discussions on topics that are in the headlines – or will be soon.
This program was a precursor to the first week of November when Americans' attention will be turned towards global health through a number of multimedia events. The anchor of this week is one of one of the most important documentaries on global health ever produced -- the six-hour PBS series, Rx for Survival – A Global Health Challenge,™ airing November 1-3 and co-produced by the WGBH/NOVA Science Unit and Vulcan Productions, with major funding provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The Merck Company Foundation. Excerpts of Rx for Survival were previewed during the conference.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
AGENDA
8:30 a.m. Breakfast Reception
9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
Bob Meyers, President of the National Press Foundation
Nanda Chitre, Rx for Survival, WGBH
9:15 - 10:30 a.m. Avian Flu & Tomorrow's Pandemics
Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis; Associate Director of the Department of Homeland Security's National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD); Professor, School of Public Health, Overview of avian flu
Dr. Rex Archer, President, National Association of County and City Health Officials, U.S. preparation for avian flu and other pandemics
Dr. Olusoji Adeyi, Coordinator of Public Health Programs, The World Bank, Improving health in developing countries in preparation for avian flu and other pandemics
10:30 a.m Break
10:45 a.m – 12:00 p.m. The Global Health Crisis & Child Survival
Dr. Nils Daulaire, President and CEO, Global Health Council, Overview of the global health crisis
Neff Walker, Senior Project Officer, Strategic Information Section, UNICEF; coauthor of Lancet study analyzing the costs in saving the lives of six million children annually, Overview of child survival.
Jeffrey Griffiths, MD MPH&TM, Director of Graduate Programs in Public Health, Tufts School of Medicine, Waterborne diseases and contaminated and stagnant water
Colleen Mone Hardy, field epidemiologist, International Rescue Committee, On the ground assessments: How Katrina compares with other crises
12:00 p.m. Special screening of highlights from Rx for Survival—A Global Health Challenge
Larry Klein, Executive Producer, Rx for Survival
12:15 p.m. Lunch served
12: 30 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch Panel: Reporting from the Front Lines
Maryn McKenna, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Covering avian flu.
Brenda Wilson, Science Desk Correspondent and Editor for NPR, Covering health in the developing world
Mike Lemonick, Senior Science Writer, TIME Magazine, Covering global epidemics
Steve Sternberg, Reporter, USA Today
The National Press Foundation is an independent, 501-c-3 educational organization.
PBS is a private, nonprofit media enterprise that serves the nation's 348 public noncommercial television stations, reaching nearly 90 million people each week. Beginning with the premiere of RX FOR SURVIVAL in Fall 2005 and extending over 18 months, PBS will launch a health initiative that presents global content and educational resources -- including original specials, extensive Web and community outreach.
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer, the source of fully one-third of PBS' prime-time lineup, along with some of public television's best-known lifestyle shows and children's programs and many public radio favorites.
Vulcan Productions is the independent film production company founded by investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen in 1997.
