International Research and Innovation Symposium on Dengue amidst the pandemic: Improving preparedness and response for multi-hazard scenarios - 2022

16-17 March 2022, Colombo, Sri Lanka

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is an unprecedented event in modern human history. The impact of the pandemic also reflects what the international scientific community has recognised for years: that in an increasingly interdependent world, our lifestyles, our choices mean that hazards are spread throughout communities, societies and economies in complex ways that lead to systemic and cascading risks.

With this backdrop, this high-level, international symposium will debate and discuss:

• The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and other communicable diseases, such as dengue and malaria, and their role as part of overall multi hazard scenarios, integrating both natural biological hazards
• Opportunities for pandemic preparedness and response to make better use of the existing infrastructure, including other hazards' early warning protocols
• Multi-stakeholder approaches to collectively examine impacts, coordinate fiscal, monetary, and social measures, share practices and to learn lessons

The symposium is being organised by:

• Project consortium of the UKRI/EPSRC funded research collaboration: Improving COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness and response through the downstream of multi-hazard early warning systems, led by University of Huddersfield, UK
• Ministry of Health Sri Lanka (National Dengue Control Unit, Anti Malaria Campaign, Disaster Preparedness & Response Division)
• National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka

The symposium will take place via a hybrid modality that includes on-site and online participation. The on-site venue is Waters Edge, Sri Lanka (https://www.watersedge.lk). These arrangements are subject to change based on any COVID related restrictions.

A symposium flyer is attached herewith. For further details on symposium themes, key dates, and special features, please visit the symposium web site at: http://pandemic-mhew.org/index.php/symposium-2022.

We look forward to receiving your abstract.