WFPHA Newsletter May 2015
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In this Newsletter:
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1.- WFPHA @ Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly
In the photo, M. Moore, WFPHA president-elect and B. Borisch, Head of the WFPHA headquarters, meet M. Chan, WHO Director-General.
Moreover a statement on the "International Charter of the Public's Health" has been submitted by the WFPHA and read under the point "Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property". WFPHA Statement @ 68th World Health AssemblyThere is indeed a need for a global strategy and plan of action on public health. To link such a strategy to innovation and intellectual property is interesting. However, the current global strategy and plan of action is all about intellectual property and very little about the wider issues of innovation and public health. You may therefore wish to consider to revise both the innovation and the public health parts of it, or simply change the name and promise that you will also develop a strategy and outline the much needed action and innovation that reflect the role of public health in a rapidly changing globalised world.
Dear Madame Director-General, we need a serious global debate on the role of public health and we have promised you to assist you in steering this. We have engaged our over 100 national public health associations, and are currently discussing the new roles we have to assume, and the needed changes within our constituencies with regard to education and recruitment of public health personnel.
What we know already: We need people trained in intersectoral work, in health in all policies, in global health diplomacy. Public health needs to be fully integrated within health systems. Having IHR functions and surveillance and monitoring functions apart from health systems - we all have learned this during the Ebola crisis - has aggravated the weakness of the health systems in the three affected countries.
We call on you, Member States, to lead a much needed debate within your countries on what sort of public health you need and want. And we call on you to bring this debate to a future session of the Assembly.
We need a global strategy and plan of action on public health that really deserves this title. We are about to finalise a comprehensive and flexible “Global Framework for Public Health” to strengthen public health services and health security. This should be used as one of the information documents when tabling this agenda item in the future. |
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2.- Alliance of Associations of Public Health of the Americas
In the context of this convention, the founding meeting of the Alliance of Associations of Public Health of the Americas was organised. This movement is part of the regionalisation process initiated by the WFPHA. The Cuban Society of Public Health (SOCUSAP) took up the leadership for this progress in the Americas. Mengistu Asnake, president of the WFPHA, gave an overview of the realisations already accomplished, such as the Asia Pacific regional liaison office, the African Federation of Public Health Associations, EUPHA, its European equivalent, the South East Asian Federation, recently initiated at the Kolkata meeting.
APHAA constitution meeting
At the Cuban meeting, several countries of the Americas were represented: Brazil by ABRASCO, USA by APHA, Nicaragua by ANSAP, Bolivia by ABSO and Porto Rico by ASPPR, in addition to the hosting country . The public health associations attending decided to constitute the Alliance of Associations of Public Health of the Americas (APHAA – AASPA) under the motto: “Joining forces for the Health of our People” – “Uniendo esfuerzos por la salud de nuestros pueblos”. This realisation is based on a long collaboration among members such as Canadian Public Health Association, American Public Health Association, Cuban Society of Public Health, etc.
APHAA constitution meeting
Dr Isabella Danel, Deputy Director of PAHO, honoured the meeting by her presence; she welcomed the initiative and offered help from PAHO. SOCUSAP accepted to host the secretariat of APHAA. The immediate next steps for the Alliance will be the presentation of a constitution and elections. This is scheduled to happen during the ABRASCO annual meeting in Goiania. Besides the founding members all other associations of the Americas are invited to join the newly created Alliance. |
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3.- 2015 WFPHA Fellowships programHealth Policy and Program ManagementThe World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) Fellowships program is a strategy for the WFPHA to support the younger and developing Public Health Associations through the strengthening of skills necessary to promote public health locally and worldwide. This fellowships program serves also as a mechanism to setup global partnership through the exchange of capabilities and knowledge among public health professionals from different countries. The main aims of the WFPHA are:
The program is held every year. The first WFPHA fellowships program was hosted by the Australian Public Health Association in Australia in 2014. The 2015 fellowships program was hosted by the Brazilian Association of Collective Health (ABRASCO). Participants selected for this program were from the African Federation of Public Health Associations (AFPHA) Secretariat - Mr Dereje Gebreab and from the Bangladesh Public Health Foundation - Dr Sharmila Huda. For the 2015 fellowships program, six weeks activity program was prepared by ABRASCO. These activities have been conducted in the different public health schools, community health centers, Pubic Health Associations, house to house family health places, Hospitals, Ministry of health, State Secretary of Health and National Congress in four major cities of Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Sao Paulo and Bahia (Salvador). The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in both South America and the Latin American region. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population of 200, 000 000.
From left to right Dr Sharmila Huda from Bangladesh Public Health Foundation Thiago Barreto - vice Executive Secretary of ABRASCO Dr Carlos Silva - Executive Secretary of ABRASCO Mr Dereje Gebreab - Program Officer African Federation of Public Health Associations Secretariat
Activities were concentrated on the Brazilian health policy development (SUS-Unified Health System) and its operationalization. Fellows from the aforementioned public health associations have participated in different activities and have learned how the Brazilian health system is created, what the organizational and operational aspects of the health system are and the challenges encountered. Health is one of the very important issues of a society. That is why it has become an avoidable subject in the election campaigns for power throughout the world. Access to health services is a right of every citizen in Brazil and the duty of the Government. Health has become a right because it is in the Constitution of Federative Government of Brazil. By consitutionalizing the health system, access to health care can be a right like any other human rights and can be protected or defended by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as the Declaration disposes in the following article. Article 8 ” Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law” National Public health associations can play an important role in constitutinalization of the appropriate health system by working with the ministries of health and conducting necessary activities with their members, all concerned professionals and the community at large. How many countries have a constitutionalized health system so that citizens may ask their right as per the constitution? What the World Federation of Public Health Associations, the regional Federations and National Associations of Health can do? Dereje Gebreab Sharmila Huda |
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4.- Support Nepal
It is our earnest hope that, the people of Nepal will overcome the difficulties and return to normalcy as soon as possible and WFPHA with all its member associations will use every opportunity to advocate for rendering any possible support and cooperation in the efforts to overcome the immediate and long term impacts of the disaster. We hope that everyone affected will bravely endure the pain and suffering that this catastrophe has imposed on them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nepalese people during these difficult times, especially the families of the victims and those affected by this tragedy. WFPHA members from Nepal as well as some organizations such as Red Cross or UNICEF are helping to provide emergency humanitarian assistance by mobilizing disaster specialists and funds following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal.
The WFPHA would encourage all people to support the work of our members from Nepal. To donate please click on the donate button on our homepage and select the option of donating to the Nepal Earthquake Disaster Relief 2015 - you don't need a login to donate - or contact them as reported below: WFPHA Full Member - Nepal Public Health AssociationHouse No 117, Jeet Jung Marg, Thapathali Height, Kathmandu, Nepal For more information, read the call for action & support. WFPHA Sustaining Member - Forum for Human Rights and Public Health-NepalTel +977-1-6630034 Mobile No +9779851011100 GPO Box No- 6323, Kathmandu, Nepal |
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5.- News from our MembersNepal Public Health Association
We completed the following actions:
We call for support for:
All-Ukrainian Public Health AssociationAll-Ukrainian Public Health Association was legitimized 14 years ago in Ukraine and in the year 2002 became a Full Member of WFPHA. We took part in the 3rd European Conference in Warsaw (2002), in the 10th WFPHA Anniversary Congress in Brighton (2004), and in many international conferences in Moscow. Due to the Statue of A-UPHA we consider that the sphere of our interests and efforts is public health of Ukrainian people, including their physical, psychic and moral health. Also, under the aegis of international organizations, we take diligent efforts in the solution of world’s public health problems. Among the aims of A-UPHA are: tobacco and alcohol control, drugs and other parenting and educational defects control, assistance in children vaccination, obesity control, anti-depression efforts and other social problems solutions. In other words the global aim of our organization is maximum effort in promoting healthy living to all Ukrainian people. Especially we focus on young and rising generation.
A-UPHA activities
Today’s Ukraine goes through a hard period of its history: different understanding of development ideas by the large groups of Ukrainians led to a military conflict with thousands human losses in the eastern regions of the country. Therefore A-UPHA task during actual historical point of work – is aiding in the settlement of conflict, and relief work in injured regions of Ukraine supplying this territories with medicaments and medical facilities. In our opinion, this is the main challenge to work with. And we rely on our international WFPHA colleague’s diligent support considering this question. We use not only traditional forms of work such as school lessons on tobacco control, but also the original ones, such as holding of healthy lifestyle promotion exhibitions, attended by thousands of people.
A-UPHA activities
For the first time in Ukraine, A-UPHA successfully provides laying eco-foot paths around big cities for a mass health improvement of city school children, because, unfortunately, they pass to much time near the computers. In that context we organize public speaking for schools teaching stuff (see photo) and introduce them our projects.
We have many original ideas, related to public health, and we are ready to share them with our colleagues from other associations. We have no funding sources yet, therefore our work is carrying on at the cost of A-UPHA activists donations, and donations of our friends and colleagues. We are inspired by our WFPHA membership renewal, and we are very thankful and intend to make common efforts for a public health gain. The Association president Oleskandr Lishchynskyi International Federation of Environmental Health - IFEH
The IFEH is the largest environmental health organisation globally and is active in all environmental health arenas, in particular in public health, pollution control, environmental protection, occupational Health & safety and food safety. Globally, the IFEH represents around 60,000 environmental health professionals. Our Aims and Regulations, vision and mission are posted on our website. The IFEH is co-ordinated in Regions which are the Americas, Africa, Asia & Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
The International Federation holds a World Congress every two years, the most recent being this past July in Las Vegas, USA in 2014. The next will be in 2016 in Lilongwe the capital of Malawi. In 2015 we are holding our inaugural World Academic Conference which we hope will compliment our biannual World Congress.
Our governance model is composed of four elected executive officers plus the Chairpersons from each of our 5 Regions. We hold an Annual General Meeting and all our minutes and activities are posted on our website. In addition, each region holds its own meetings to address regional concerns and emerging issues.
Our current President is Henning I Hansen from Denmark, our President-Elect is Peter Archer from the United Kingdom and our Immediate Past President is Dr. Peter Davey from Australia. Rod House from Scotland is our Honorary Secretary and Stephen Cooper from Northern Ireland is our Honorary Treasurer.
Presently, we are offering enhanced disaster risk reduction and emergency management response training in South East Asia and in Europe to help increase the capability and capacity of environmental health professionals as we continue to help foster better understanding and preparedness in emergency disasters. We have built some strong partnerships which allow us to deliver these courses at significantly reduced costs.
Environmental Health Professionals The IFEH attracts environmental health professionals from across the globe and the delivery of this service varies within our regions and constituent member associations. The holistic environmental practitioner is the dominant framework with officers specialising in topics within the holistic umbrella. This framework is the model used in the UK, USA, Canada, all African countries, Australia & New Zealand and throughout the Far East in countries such a Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore to name a few examples. In Europe the framework is slightly different with some countries such as Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Italy for example who have a more prescriptive approach with different qualified professionals dealing with specific topic areas such as environmental protection, occupational health & safety and food safety.
Co-operation with the World Federation of Public Health Associations The IFEH is looking forward to the coming co-operation with the WFPHA as a result of our two global organizations now being mutual members. We are pleased that Dr. Bettina Borisch, CEO WFPHA has accepted our invitation to give a key-note presentation at our coming IFEH World Academic Conference on Environmental Health in Coimbra, Portugal in September 2015.
Henning I. Hansen President |
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6.- Members' Newsletters• Austrian Public Health Association • Brazilian Association of Collective Health • Canadian Public Health Association • Ethiopian Public Health Association • European Public Health Association • Federation of African Medical Students' Associations • Nepal Public Health Association (Journal) • Nepal Public Health Association (Newsletter) • Public Health Association of Australia • Public Health Association of New Zealand • Public Health Association of South Africa • Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh (Journal) • Spanish society of Public Health and Health Administration (Journal) • The Graduate Institute Newsletter • Vietnam Public Health Association (Journal) • Vietnam Public Health Association (Newsletter)
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7.- WFPHA Members CommunicationAlliance of Associations of Public Health of the AmericasAll public health associations of the Americas are invited to join the newly created Alliance of Associations of Public Health of the Americas. For more information, please contact us. |
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8.- WFPHA Working GroupsOral Health Working GroupOral health updates from the WG members: Brazil 2015 |
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9.- What's onConsultation - How to create and maintain civil society space? A Report by the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Deadline 30 June 2015The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights seeks input from civil society actors for a compilation of practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons learned. The report will be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-second session (A/HRC/RES/27/31). In addition to civil society actors world-wide, all UN Member States, UN special agencies and bodies (incl. UNDP, etc.), regional orgs, etc., will be asked to input into it. For more information and contacts, please consult the website. The relevant resolution can be found here. Survey by Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) on ‘frugal effective’ healthcare innovationsThe Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) at Imperial College London is conducting an international study to identify examples of “frugal” healthcare innovations fromlow and middle income countries,which – if adopted in the United States or other developed economies – have the potential to lower costs while maintaining, or ideally improving, quality or access to care. The study is being undertaken on behalf of the Commonwealth Fund. After conducting a scan of the international landscape, the IGHI team will conduct in depth analysis of three innovations that we believe have the strongest potential for successful translation to the United States context. The resulting case studies will provide a foundation for the piloting and evaluation of the innovations. The overall findings of the study will be presented at the Commonwealth Fund’s International Symposium in December. You can provide input to this important study by participating in the survey which should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. |
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10.- PublicationsA modelling tool for policy analysis to support the design of efficient and effective policy responses for complex public health problemsJo-An Atkinson, Andrew Page, Robert Wells, Andrew Milat, Andrew Wilson Implementation Science 2015 - doi:10.1186/s13012-015-0221-5 South Eastern European Journal of Public HealthThe third volume of our journal is available here. |
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11.- Upcoming events
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Delegates from the WFPHA governing council, headquarters as well as members of the WFPHA have participated to the 
Cuba Salud
The leadership of WFPHA is deeply saddened by the loss of life, injuries, and damage in Nepal that has occurred as a result of the earthquake in the past few days and conveys our condolences to the families of the people who were killed and pray for the injured and affected victims to recover immediately.
The Nepal Public Health Association (NEPHA) is closely working with District Public Health Office of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktpur. We are planning to extend the support in other District too. Along this we coordinate with other national and international organization for necessary support especially personal hygiene kit, mother and child health and WASH.
The International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) is a rather young (est. 1986), global, not-for-profit organisation representing some 45 member country environmental health associations and numerous academic affiliate members including our International Faculty Forum. The IFEH Headquarters are based in the United Kingdom and our website can be found at 
