San Diego., October 29, 2008
– The American Public Health Association (APHA) concludes its 136th Annual Meeting and Exposition today in San Diego, Calif., where close to 13,000 public health professionals from around the world met to address the nation’s top public health challenges.
“Thousands of leading experts, researchers and practitioners came together to share their research, learn from each other and explore new strategies for addressing a wide range of critical public health issues,” said George C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP, (E), executive director of APHA. “It’s gratifying to meet so many distinguished colleagues and have an opportunity to learn about the work they do each day to protect and promote public health.”
Themed "Public Health Without Borders,” the meeting explored transnational public health and provided a forum to address a diversity of thematic topics, including refugee health, water and land rights, and pollution management across borders.
The annual meeting kicked off Sunday, Oct. 26, with opening remarks by Sir Michael Marmot, MBBS, MPH, PhD, FRCP, FFPHM, FMedSci, director of the International Institute for Society and Health. It closes today with a panel of former surgeons general, Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS; David Satcher, MD, PhD; and M. Joycelyn Elders, MD. In between, more than 900 scientific sessions provided the most up-to-date public health research, and public health leaders, including Joxel Garcia, MD, MBA, assistant secretary for health; Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Steven Galson, MD, MPH, acting surgeon general, provided their perspective on critical public health issues.
Next year’s APHA Annual Meeting will be held November 7-11, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pa.