On 17 February, 2023, the School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU SPH) and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine (NAM) hosted a virtual seminar “Towards Longevity-Ready Cities: Built and Social Environmental Determinants of Healthy Longevity” for Dr Chinmoy Sarkar, the inaugural NAM-HKU Fellow in Global Health Leadership. It was well received by over 110 local and international healthcare leaders, policymakers, think-tank representatives, environmental advocates, scholars, and students.

Generously supported by Dr Patrick Poon, the NAM-HKU Fellowship in Global Health Leadership was jointly established by HKU SPH and the NAM to train world-class global health scholars who will bridge science with policy to put forth informed solutions to some of the most critical health challenges facing the world today and in the future. The programme provides a two-year training for early to mid-career scholars to undertake the MPH study and research attachment at HKU SPH, and two 3-month residential experience at NAM in Washington, D.C.

Dr Sarkar’s seminar featured his project conducted as a part of his fellowship, which he talked about the built and social environmental determinants of healthy longevity, including existing scientific evidence and future directions towards achieving the goal of longevity-ready cities. “It is essential to bridge the gap between the health span and lifespan to reduce the burden of the healthcare system. A holistic and preventive life course approach is essential to healthy longevity. We have a lot challenges but also opportunities, especially in how our cities can be optimized,” remarked Dr Sarkar.

A panel discussion by luminaries in the field of public health and architecture was held afterwards. It was moderated by Dr John Rowe, Julius B. Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging of Department of Health Policy and Management at Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. Other panelists were: Mr Paul Irving, Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and Senior Advisor of Milken Institute; and Professor Chris Webster, Dean of HKU Faculty of Architecture and Chair Professor of Urban Planning & Development Economics, HKU. The panel agreed that there is a need for political, economic, social, development and health agendas to dovetail and that opportunities abound for achieving healthy longevity.

Please stay tuned for more updates about the NAM-HKU Fellowship in Global Health Leadership at https://sph.hku.hk/en/nam-hkufellows.