The Boao Forum for Asia will hold its first global health forum on Jan 10 and 11 in China, the China-based international organization announced on Wednesday.

The health forum will provide a platform for various sectors, including government, business and experts, to communicate and exchange ideas for cooperation in improving global health and tackling health challenges facing the world, Margaret Chan, president of the global health forum, and former director-general of the World Health Organization, said at a news conference.

“Health matters to national security, economic development and people’s livelihoods, and has become an important part of global governance,” she said.

“Meanwhile, global health still faces serious challenges, and it remains an arduous task to ensure universal healthcare.”

During the forum, participants will discuss a wide range of topics, including improving healthcare services with the help of the latest internet technologies, health promotion through innovation, and means to achieve universal coverage of healthcare services, she said.

Senior officials from various countries, representatives of international health organizations, NGOs, enterprises, experts and medical institutions will participate in the forum, and consensus reached during the forum will be provided to governments for reference, she said.

The city where the forum will be held is to be decided, according to Boao Forum for Asia.