On February 1st, 2026, the Global Youth Public Health Forum, hosted by the International Youth Cultural Exchange Club, took place at the Grand Lecture Hall at HFI. The forum, themed "Beyond Borders: Youth, Innovation, and the Future of Mobile Health," brought together experts and scholars in public health from China and abroad, young students, and teachers from various backgrounds concerned with global health. They engaged in open dialogue, and, in doing so, transcended geographical, disciplinary, and cognitive boundaries, focusing on the core challenges of global public health in the digital age and innovative solutions for youth.

Opening Ceremony: Youth Taking Responsibility in the Digital Age

Host Zhang Kaile welcomed all participants, both in person and online, in Chinese and English, explaining the profound significance of creating a dialogue platform for teenagers in a world where infectious diseases, unsanitary conditions, and unequal access to healthcare prevail.

In his opening remarks, Daniel Zhu, Principal of HFI, expressed pride and emotion at witnessing HFI students proactively initiating and organizing such a high-level international forum.

Principal Daniel encouraged students to stay connected to real-world challenges. He pointed out that the world is undergoing profound changes and that public health faces multiple challenges, including climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and antibiotic resistance. In this context, digital health technology has become a key force in overcoming these bottlenecks. "As digital natives, young people are the most active and dynamic promoters and beneficiaries of this transformation," Principal Zhu emphasized.

Last but not least, Principal Zhu commended the forum for putting the "Community of Health for Mankind" through Belt and Road health cooperation and foreign medical aid into practice, a vivid continuation of this global cooperation. He encouraged young students to combine a global perspective with local action to become true leaders in public health innovation.

Global Experience, Chinese Contribution: Boundless Love in the Fight Against Malaria

The forum’s first key opening speech was on a quintessential public health issue that has tormented human beings for centuries---Malaria Prevention. Dr. Yu Zhengjie from the Artemisinin Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, an expert boasting more than ten years of practical experience combating malaria in Africa, delivered a moving presentation titled "Artemisia, Boundless Love for a Shared Future."

Dr. Yu explained China’s key role in malaria prevention in developing countries in the world, starting as early as the 1960s. Back then, resources were scarce, and pioneers like Professor Li Guoqiao even risked their lives to test the drug's efficacy by injecting malaria-contaminated blood into his body. Through the meticulous work of many generations of healthcare workers, domestic cases of malaria in China dropped from 24 million in 1970 to 0 in 2024, an exemplar of a successful public health regime put into place.

Through the implementation of a large-scale drug management strategy centered on artemisinin-based combination therapies, the Chinese team successfully reduced the malaria infection rate in the African island nation of Comoros by 98.58%, ultimately helping the nation achieve the "Chinese miracle" of zero local transmission.

Comoros has a romantic nickname called “Island of the Moon”, Dr. Yu told us. “The country has stunningly beautiful scenery that holds endless potential for development. On the other end of the spectrum, it is also plagued by malaria, severely undermining peoples’ quality of living. It is our responsibility to help Comoros combat these troubles.”

"We aspire to be a group of ordinary yet meaningful people." Dr. Yu showed photos of his daily work, from conducting in-depth village surveys to sharing knowledge about traditional Chinese medicine with residents, reflecting simple humanistic care and vividly interpreting the profound meaning of "boundless love. “The locals would take us on hikes in the mountains, and we would buy fruit from the children and tell them stories of our work. It’s lovely to see that we foreign medical workers and natives can work in harmony together.”

Focusing on Africa, Looking to the Future – South Sudan's Call for Health

Dr. Caesar Lado, a doctoral student at Southern Medical University from South Sudan, used striking data and images to reveal the enormous gaps and severe challenges South Sudan faces in basic sanitation infrastructure. His report highlighted the extreme scarcity of public health resources in South Sudanese schools, including drinking water and sanitation facilities, which directly impacts the education and health of children, especially girls. He emphasized that investing in school water, environmental sanitation, and personal hygiene is an investment in the nation's future and called for international aid to focus on these areas, empowering communities to achieve sustainable change. As a researcher with firsthand experience and a father of seven children, Dr. Lado puts empathy as well as expertise into his speech.  

Youth Innovation Solutions Showcase

The second half of the forum became a stage for showcasing the innovative achievements of youth in high schools across the world.

Duncan Zhang, a student from HFI, shared his research on the accessibility of digital healthcare for African immigrants in Guangzhou. With the advent of the rapid healthcare digitalization in China and the irreversible phenomenon of migration, migrants have become a distinct yet vulnerable group that often suffer from inadequate healthcare resources. Duncan Zhang highlighted details of the challenges faced by the African migrant population in Guangzhou, China in a research project titled “Digital Healthcare Exclusion: A Mixed-Methods Study of Systemic Barriers Faced by African Migrants in Guangzhou, China.”

From the other side of the world, David Niu, a junior at Jericho High School in the United States shared his biological research exploring the different effects of melatonin and estrogen on the survival of leukemia cells. Surprisingly, he discovered that melatonin, a hormone that stimulates sleep, is closely linked to the triggering of various cancers.

Aaron Yang and his team at Jericho High School in the United States targeted real-world pain points by developing an AI-driven pre-screening system for medical insurance claims in the USA. Through predictive models, the system helps hospitals reduce administrative burden when dealing with healthcare denials, demonstrating the ingenuity of using technology to optimize the healthcare system.

Frank Zeng, a student from HFI, shared insights from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at a hospital.  Having spent several months shadowing doctors, Frank’s primary focus was on doctor-patient communication. He extracted observations from specific cases of doctor-patient communication regarding medical listening, balancing treatment decisions, and the limitations of medical reality.

Health Narratives that Transcend Cognitive Boundaries

Yuying Huang, a student from the International Department of Guangdong Experimental High School, proposed the concept of "sensory maps." She advocates for making health information more inclusive and perceptible through multi-sensory narratives such as art and storytelling. She calls for the design of a multi-sensory health system so that people from different cultural backgrounds and with varying sensory abilities can equally access and understand health information.

Finally, Xingyun Qi, a student from HFI, candidly discussed mental health. She addressed the practical difficulties in the process of "seeking help," encouraged individuals to confront their mental distress, and emphasized the importance of "taking care of yourself before you can take care of others."

The Q&A session was lively, with a constant exchange of ideas. Jahaziel Gutierrez, an AP Biology teacher from HFI, interacted with the students presenting online, asking questions and discussing health topics, showcasing a high level of communication between teachers and students.

Grace Chen, Executive Principal of HFI, along with teachers Yoee Yang and Wenfeng Mao, participated in the conference online. Ruochun, a teacher from the College Counseling Center, attended the conference in person and interacted with students on topics of common interest.

This forum clearly demonstrates that the younger generation is actively engaged in public health, showcasing their outstanding global vision, profound empathy, and strong innovative capabilities. They are not only understanding complex challenges but also taking practical action, contributing indispensable youthful energy to connecting the world and promoting health equity. Transcending boundaries begins with youth; a healthy future requires collective effort.

Text: Duncan Zhang, Xingyun Qi

Technical support: Teacher MK

Photos: Teacher Becky, Xingyun Qi, Wenya Zhang