Recap of Day 3: Highlights from GPHW2024

Day 3 of Global Public Health Week 2024 witnessed a diverse array of insightful discussions and interviews, all centered around the theme of “Putting Mental Wellbeing on the Health Agenda.” Attendees were treated to a rich tapestry of topics, ranging from addressing infectious diseases to examining the intricate intersections of mental health with various social, environmental, and global challenges.

The day kicked off with a compelling discussion on addressing malaria, featuring former WFPHA President Prof Michael Moore and Prof Bruce Anderson. They delved into the urgent need for action against malaria, emphasizing the importance of developing effective interventions and distributing vaccines to combat the disease.

Next, attention turned to the mental health struggles faced by Afghan women and girls in the aftermath of Taliban rule. The webinar, Unveiling Hidden Struggles: Mental Health of Afghan Women and Girls,  shed light on their challenges and advocated for their access to mental health services. Participants explored resilience-building strategies and highlighted the importance of global solidarity in supporting Afghan females.

Throughout the day, attendees engaged in discussions on community resilience, the impact of climate change on mental health, and the cultural competency needed in perinatal mental health care. The conversations underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic approaches in addressing mental health inequities and promoting well-being.

Furthermore, participants had the opportunity to explore the evolution of health systems, such as the District Health System in South Africa, and the significance of sustainable funding for resilient health infrastructure. Interviews with experts provided valuable insights into the pandemic’s impact on health infrastructures and the ongoing efforts to combat diseases like measles featuring Martha Rebour, Executive Director of Shot@Life. Her insights shed light on the multifaceted nature of the measles challenge and emphasized the need for sustained commitment and collaboration to achieve lasting impact.

As the day concluded, discussions centered on translating essential public health functions into education curricula and the role of infodemics in public health. Experts shared strategies for strengthening workforce education and addressing misinformation, underscoring the importance of evidence-based approaches in public health practice.

Tomorrow we will commence Day 4 with the theme “Promoting a Sustainable Life for Thriving Communities”.

Recap of Day 2: Highlights from GPHW2024

Day 2 of the Global Public Health Week 2024 showcased a diverse array of thought-provoking discussions and initiatives aimed at tackling pressing global health challenges.

Kicking off the day was a high-level meeting convened by the InterAction Council and One Young World, held at the historic House of Lords in London. Focused on strengthening global governance for existential threats, the meeting saw leaders from various sectors come together to establish an intergenerational Global Security Council. Led by Bertie Ahern and Ella Robertson McKay, plans were laid out to engage young leaders in addressing urgent global challenges and fostering sustainable communities.

Simultaneously, the Afghanistan Center for Health and Peace Studies (ACHPS) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations organized the Beyond Borders: Toward Equitable Global Health Governance webinar. This event emphasized the importance of inclusive decision-making processes in global health governance, advocating for diverse perspectives and fair representation across nations and organizations.

In another session, the Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) facilitated an intergenerational dialogue on digital health citizenship. By assessing perceptions of digital health citizenship among youth populations, the lab aimed to empower young people to actively engage in co-designing digital-first health systems.

Throughout the day, a wide range of topics were explored, including climate justice, NCD prevention, and pediatric mental health resilience. Sessions such as the ASPHER-GCCHE European Climate and Health Responders Course highlighted the role of Europe in mitigating climate change and promoting climate justice on a global scale.

Meanwhile, discussions on intellectual property rights and pandemic preparedness underscored the need for international cooperation and solidarity in addressing global health crises. Events like the Lecture on Protecting Health Workforce shed light on innovative strategies for developing dedicated vaccination programs in low-resource settings.

As the day drew to a close, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to advancing global health equity and resilience. The insights and collaborations forged during Day 2 set the stage for continued progress and collaboration in the days and weeks to come.

Tomorrow we commence day 3 with the theme Putting Mental Well-being on the Health Agenda.

Recap of Day 1: Highlights from GPHW2024

Day one of the Global Public Health Week 2024 (GPHW24) we witnessed a dynamic lineup of events aimed at redefining public health paradigms and fostering collaboration among global health stakeholders.

The morning session began with the much-anticipated webinar on Addressing Public Health Challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean WHO Region: A Youth Perspective on Capacities for Infodemic Management. Participants from diverse backgrounds and regions convened virtually to delve into the multifaceted public health challenges facing the Eastern Mediterranean region. Through a series of engaging panel discussions and interactive sessions, youth leaders shared their perspectives on combating misinformation and building resilient health systems in the face of emerging health threats.

Simultaneously, another session titled Leadership Lessons from the Pandemic to the Planetary Emergency unfolded, featuring esteemed speakers who reflected on the transformative impact of effective leadership in navigating global health crises. Drawing from real-world experiences and empirical evidence, participants explored innovative strategies for strengthening global cooperation and governance to address complex health challenges.

At the Opening Ceremony, esteemed leaders in public health officially inaugurated the week-long event. Against the backdrop of a virtual platform, attendees were treated to inspiring keynote addresses and panel discussions focused on the theme Peace as a Prerequisite for Equitable Health.  Notable speakers such as Unni Karunakara from the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale Law School and Duha Shellah MD, representing Young WFPHA from Palestine, shared their insights on promoting peace and equity in public health.

Following the Opening Ceremony, participants immersed themselves in a series of engaging seminars and webinars exploring diverse topics such as leadership lessons from the pandemic, the One Health approach to public health, and the role of community engagement in advancing equitable health outcomes.

As the day progressed, various seminars and webinars focused on diverse themes such as community engagement, oral health, and tobacco control.

Tomorrow we commence day 2 with the theme Enhancing and Democratizing Governance in Global Health.

GPHW2024:Lecture on Translating the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF) into Public Health Curricula

Theme: Putting Mental Wellbeing on the Health Agenda

Date and Time: 10th April 2024 |09:00-09:25 (CET)

Event Description: This lecture is presented by Siobhan Fitzpatrick, World Health Organization technical officer.  Siobhan Fitzpatrick discusses how we can strengthen the education of the workforce to enable them to deliver on these EPHFs. The WHO and partners have developed a competency framework defining the practice activities for the public health and emergency workforce to deliver the 12 EPHFs. She specifies that the workforce encompasses those with roles entirely around public health, those that contribute towards surveillance and management, and a final group of personnel from allied occupations. The approach used, competency-based education, emphasises outcomes-oriented learning, progressive sequencing, tailored teaching and assessment, and programmatic assessment.

Listen the full webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFJI5PJ-GvM

Event Type: Online Interview

Event Format: Online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): World Federation of Public Health Associations

How to Attend Virtually: Youtube

Registration: N/A

GPHW2024: Lecture on Allocating Sustainable Funding for Resilient Health Systems

Theme:Promoting a Sustainable Life for Thriving Communities

Date and Time: 11th April 2024 |10:00-10:25 (CET)

Event Description: This lecture is presented by Prof Vivian Lin, Executive Associate Dean and Professor of Public Health Practice at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.
She discusses the critical importance of sustainable funding for our health systems, evaluating why prevention is better and how it should be funded.

Listen the full webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkDCf9s6ZRI

This webinar is part of the International Immunization Policy Task Force activities lead by the WFPHA.

Please follow the link for information on the Task Force: https://www.wfpha.org/immunization-taskforce/

Event Type: Online Interview

Event Format: Online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): World Federation of Public Health Associations

How to Attend Virtually: Youtube

Registration: N/A

GPHW2024: Foreign Affairs and Health Governance: The Rising of Health Diplomacy

Theme: Enhancing and Democratizing Governance in Global Health

Date and Time: 9th April 2024 |15:00-17:00 (CET)

Event Description: This event aims to explore the intersection of foreign affairs and health governance, focusing on the growing importance of health diplomacy. It will delve into the intricate dynamics between foreign affairs and health governance and the emergent significance of health diplomacy as a catalyst for health resolutions and policy implementation. Rather than merely seeking to enhance existing frameworks, it aims to critically evaluate current affairs and explore avenues for improvement and innovation.

Event Type: Article

Event Format: Online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): Health Diplomacy Alliance

How to Attend Virtually: Online

Registration: N/A