HONG KONG, 10th November, 2015 - Renowned surgeon, writer, and public health researcher, Professor Atul Gawande, visited ASHK on November 10 and addressed over 100 guests at a luncheon that the human experience of mortality is changing rapidly and dramatically across Asia, as people are having better access to health care and living longer.
Professor Gawwande shared his own childhood smallpox vaccination experience at the beginning of the presentation to address how medical services improve over time. The life expectancy has been prolonged for more than 20 years when compared to 1960s.

Despite the medical advancement, Prof Gawande pointed out that there’re still many incurable diseases that he could not fix. Indeed, medicalising mortality in providing disease-focused treatment produces suffering. He struggled whether it was right to prolong the suffering or to let go of the valued life. After years of struggling, he reaffirmed that “The goal is not a good death. The goal is to have good life as possible all the way to the very end under whatever the circumstances are.” At the end of the presentation, he urged people to change the philosophy of health care and emphasized that well-being for people goes beyond mere bodily survival.

The presentation was a full house event. Audiences were inspired by the thought-provoking talk and actively participated in the Q&A section.

Video: Watch the complete program (1 hr., 7 min.)