INTRODUCTION

We are organizing the 1st International Conference of Health Science, Practice, and Education (ICOHESPE), to be held in Semarang (Indonesia) on October 26, 2018. The Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) organizes the event. As the first international conference organized by the newly founded faculty, ICOHESPE serves as a milestone and token of contribution for the Faculty of Medicine UNNES for the development and improvement of health science and services.

Health is pivotal for sustainable human development, both as an inalienable human right and as an essential contributor to the economic growth of society. Health is also a good summative measure of the progress of nations in achieving sustainable development. WHO states that health is a precondition for and an outcome and indicator of all three dimensions of sustainable development. Sustainable development can only be achieved without a high prevalence of debilitating communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCD), including emerging and re-emerging diseases, and when populations can reach a state of physical, mental, and social well-being.

On September 25th, 2015, at United Nations Headquarters, the leaders of the 193 UN Member States adopted the Sustainable Development Goals as the new global development agenda for the period 2016-2030. Goal 3 of SDGs seeks to ensure health and well-being for all, in every stage of life. The goal addresses all major health priorities, including reproductive, maternal, and child health; communicable, non-communicable, and environmental diseases; universal health coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medicines and vaccines.

Health contributes to national development through productive employment, reduced expenditure on illness care, and greater social cohesion. By promoting good health at all ages, the benefits of development extend across generations. Investments in primary health care can expand the reachability of health services, which will later reduce the health quality disparity within and between countries. As health affects major policymaking, developing health science to provide a better national healthcare system that can cater to the needs of its community has become a main goal for many countries.

Health science has been significantly improving in the past decades. From therapeutic methods, healthcare quality, healthcare workers, to the healthcare system, health science has become the backbone of numerous developments that can increase the quality of life, either individual or community. Interdisciplinary study that combines many scientific insights accelerates health science development as researchers and practitioners can discuss global health issues from various perspectives. As it is the gate for health science to grow even more and reach wider communities, discussion in health science development serves as the scientific foundation for stakeholders in government to establish health-related policies. Improving the performance of health systems by enhancing financial and human resources, appropriate use of technology, community empowerment, and good governance will advance this agenda.

Advances in health science, including utilizing technology, are a part of the growing global concern of well-being discussion. Technology and online systems are increasingly acknowledged as a useful and participatory tool to overcome health-related problems. Technology enables people to have finer access to health services. At the individual level, health services can be accessed by using gadgets. People are also allowed to connect directly with the healthcare workers despite the inability to meet in person. As it is directly used by the community, technology can also be utilized to develop a better health system. Enabling digital health to participate in health system development is crucial to expedite the result. Due to its pivotal role, utilizing technology as digital health is required in developing health in general.

Driven by this agenda, the Faculty of Medicine UNNES manages to contribute by organizing an international conference on health science, practice, and education. The comprehensive conference enables academic researchers and practitioners across multiple fields to gather, discuss, and deliver opinions on solving global health problems. This conference brings together academic experts and practitioners from local and regional areas to share new knowledge, ideas, and experiences pertaining to health system, digital health, and health service. The general theme of the conference is ‘Health System Resilience through Digital Transformation to Improve Quality of Health Services’ according to some strategies and with focus on: Promoting health, education, physical activity and green lifestyles; Innovation on preventive and digital medicine, Developing health system resilience in collaboration between health professional and community, Enhancing quality of health service for all people; Raising awareness of how health education can promote quality of life, Intercultural learning and responsibility; Promoting cooperation between universities, research centres, health organizations, as well as health industry.