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Experts on protecting people from the health impacts of extreme heat  gathered in Singapore last week to shape the future of their global Network and regional efforts in Southeast Asia.

GHHIN Management Committee, Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub Steering Committee and meeting representatives.
Photo: Ong Yeong Bing / July 2024

The meeting brought together the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Management Committee and the Network’s newly launched Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub Steering Committee for the first time. A series of meetings took place to shape the future direction of the Network and regional hub, as the group looks towards a regional Heat Health Forum in early 2025. 

Key outcomes of the meeting included:

1. Global and regional leadership team-building and networking  
2. Planning of the Southeast Asia Heat Health Forum (7-10 January 2025)
3. Definition of the Network Strategy for 2025-2030
4. Support provided to the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat
5. Identification of new Network needs and priorities

Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub

The Heat Resilience & Performance Centre at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine of the National University of Singapore (NUS) launched the Network’s Southeast Asia Hub at the 2023 UN Climate Conference (COP28), to stimulate greater collaboration and alignment in heat health research and policy initiatives to save lives in a region plagued by chronic heat and seeing impacts intensified due to climate change. 

“Uniting the region against extreme heat, the Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub ignites collaboration, accelerates knowledge sharing, and amplifies capacity building to shield populations from heat-related health risks, aligning with the global mission to mitigate the devastating impacts of extreme heat and ensure a resilient future for all,” said Associate Professor Jason Lee, Director of Heat Resilience & Performance Centre, National University of Singapore, and Chair of Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub, “We aim to focus our efforts on addressing key areas like that of urban heat, heat on workers and understanding the cultural and traditional perspectives and practices in heat management.” 

Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub Steering Committee Members and representatives:

• Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, Deputy Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)
• Mr. Ben Churchill, Director, WMO Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific
• A/Prof. Chao Ren, Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong
• Dr. Chow Wai Leng, Director, Epidemiology & Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Singapore
• Ms. Fauzia Amalia, Assistant Head, International Services, Singapore Red Cross (SRC)
• Mr. Hussain Rasheed, Regional Advisor, Water, Sanitation and Climate Change, WHO-South East Asia Region (SEARO)
• Ms. Koh Li-Na, Assistant Chief Executive, Meteorological Services and Radiation Protection, National Environment Agency, Singapore
• Mr. Jochen Luther, Technical Coordinator (Services), WMO Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific
• Prof. Ollie Jay, Professor of Heat and Health, and Director, Heat and Health Research Incubator and Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory, The University of Sydney
• Ms. Sally Edwards, Coordinator, Health and the Environment (HAE), Division of Healthy Environments and Populations, WHO-Western Pacific Region (WPRO)
• Ms. Sameena Haneef, Executive, Community Engagement, Singapore Red Cross (SRC)
• Dr. Sanjay Srivastava, Chief, Disaster Risk Reduction, ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
• Mr. Seth Sarmiento, Regional Urban Risk Management Coordinator, Health, Disaster, Climate and Crisis Unit, Asia Pacific Regional Office, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
• Dr. Sushma Bhusal, Regional Thematic Lead for Health and Care, Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises Unit, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
• Ms. Xiaoyan Qian, Director of ILO Decent Work Technical Support Teams (DWT), International Labour Organisation
• Dr. Yuka Ujita, Senior Specialist, Occupational Safety and Health, ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific, International Labour Organization (ILO)

Southeast Asia Heat Health Hub core team: 

• A/Prof. Jason Lee, Director, Heat Resilience & Performance Centre (HRPC), National University of Singapore (NUS)
• Ms. Law Yu Li Lydia, Co-Director, HRPC, NUS
• Ms. Tan Min Sze Pearl, Network Manager, HRPC, NUS
• Dr. Ho Janice Ying-En, Scientific Communications Manager, HRPC, NUS