WFPHA joins call for WHO action on Climate Change Obligations before International Court

WFPHA has joined forces with other international organizations to sign a letter addressed to Dr. Tedros, encouraging the continuation of WHO’s leadership role in addressing climate change.

The letter is addressed to Dr. Tedros, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), urging WHO’s involvement in providing information to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding States’ legal obligations concerning climate change. It highlights the importance of climate change as a public health concern and emphasizes WHO’s historical advocacy for the right to health. The letter proposes key points for inclusion in WHO’s submission to the ICJ, such as the health impacts of climate change, human rights obligations, and the importance of international cooperation. It also mentions support from external legal experts and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Finally, it requests Dr. Tedros’ leadership and support in this endeavor.

Investing in Health System Resilience: Strategies for Preparedness and Response Capacity Enhancement

WFPHA’s Executive Manager Marta Lomazzi, Daniel O. Okyere, Katya Peri, and Michael Moore have published an article titled “Investing in Health System Resilience: A Scoping Review to Identify Strategies for Enhancing Preparedness and Response Capacity” in Population Medicine.

Introduction

 In an era marked by unprecedented global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, the importance of resilient health systems has become increasingly clear.

Although investing in health system resilience has gained attention from policymakers and researchers worldwide, it remains a relatively new concept in the healthcare field.

By strengthening the foundations of healthcare systems, resilience can be enhanced, improving preparedness and response to disasters. Investing in resilience not only fosters long-term socioeconomic growth but also ensures national security and promotes collective global health security. This scoping review aims to identify key strategies for investing in health system resilience.

Methods

A scoping review searched PubMed and Google Scholar for health system resilience literature from March 2020 to March 2023. English articles, including original studies, reviews, and reports, were considered. Thematic areas were identified through a narrative summary.

Results

Of 940 records, 43 met the inclusion criteria. Six themes emerged: preventive care, governance, resource mobilization, collaboration, research prioritization, and workforce sustainability.

Conclusions

The study underscores the importance of coalition-building, data visibility, political commitment, and government leadership.

These investments strengthen healthcare systems’ ability to respond to crises, ensuring public health protection and socioeconomic development. Investing in these areas builds resilient health systems and promotes population well-being.

GPHW2024: Opening Ceremony

Global public health leaders will officially open the third edition of Global Public Health Week (GPHW) on April 8, 2024, during a dedicated online event to be held at 13:00 CEST.

Agenda:

13:00 – 14:30 CEST (90 minutes)

Opening Ceremony

Opening Global Public Health Week: Luis Eugenio de Sousa, president of WFPHA (10 min)

Introducing the panel: Bettina Borisch, WFPHA Executive Director (5 min)

Opening keynote by Abdullah Al Harthy, Oman (15 min)

The ceremony will be followed by the one-hour panel discussion “Peace as a Prerequisite for Equitable Health”, organized by the World Federation of Public Health Associations,

Panel discussion with:

• Unni Karunakara, Global Health Justice Partnership, Yale Law School (10 min)
• Duha Shellah MD, Young WFPHA, Palestine (10 min)
• Fernando Sacoto, Executive Director, Alliance of the PH Associations of the Americas (AASPA), Ecuador(10 min)
• Molosiwa Selepeng, Botswana (10 min)

Discussion with the participants (20 min)

Panel chair: Bettina Borisch, WFPHA Executive Director

Join us to advance the importance of public health in everyone’s lives!

Call for Submission: Casebook on Advocacy in Public Health, Volume 2

The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) is calling for submissions for the second volume of the Casebook on Advocacy in Public Health.

In 2021, the WFPHA published the free-access Casebook on Advocacy in Public Health to emphasize the importance of advocacy as an Essential Public Health Function by compiling 18 cases of public health advocacy from different corners of the world.

The Casebook, now in its second volume, is collecting new experiences describing advocacy efforts from around the world in order to continue assisting national public health associations and other actors to improve their capacity of influence on public health policies.

We are looking forward to receiving contributions from individuals, teams, and/or organizations such as the national associations of public health or other non-governmental organizations. Cases could involve the participation of people from diverse disciplines and professions, such as decision-makers, public health practitioners, other professionals, scholars, or consumers. We strongly encourage authors to include actions from low- and middle-income countries from all regions of the world.

The Casebook will be published by the WFPHA, and its registration and edition will be funded by the Global Health Research Group at the University Miguel Hernández de Elche (UMH), Alicante, Spain.

To contribute to this Casebook, please click below to review the guidelines for authors and submit your case by March 31, 2024, 23:59 GMT.

Two Internship Opportunities with WFPHA

The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) is currently looking for two Interns.

The WFPHA offers a unique environment for an internship for students in international health and development. Interns are given substantial responsibility for performing activities such as researching and writing articles for the newsletter, establishing contact with health and development NGOs around the world, planning international conferences, and fundraising. Each internship is structured to suit the needs and interests of the intern, such as working on an individual research assignment, as well as the requirements of WFPHA.

During the internship, interns will further develop their writing and research skills and become more familiar with the key issues and actors in international health and development. They will have extensive networking opportunities as WFPHA is an international NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and has extensive contacts with other organizations worldwide.

Key areas:

• Oral Health
• People with special needs

Qualification and Experience

• Student or graduate degree in the area of International Relations, Health-related Faculties or are enrolled in the degree program.
• Knowledge of MS Office, Adobe
• English: a must
• Good writing skills
• Eager to work within a multicultural and international environment
• A good team player with a “can-do” attitude
• Good at multi-tasking and working with strict deadlines

Compensation

The internship is unpaid. Remote working.

Period

Starts as soon as possible for a minimum of 3 months (full time). The internship may be part-time or full-time.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for the internship, please send a CV and motivation letter to Prof. Raman Bedi: raman.bedi@kcl.ac.uk

Tackling Inequities: WFPHA addresses Women’s Health in Aging

In January 2024, Prof. Bettina Borisch, CEO of WFPHA, took part in the “Women as They Age: Addressing the Next Inequity Frontier” event in San Diego. The event focused on the often-overlooked health disparities faced by women as they age.

Challenges for Aging Women

From menopause to senior years, women confront persistent gaps in best-practice care due to a lack of evidence, unfounded clinical assumptions, and a mismatch between the two.

Keynote and Discussion

Prof. Borisch delivered a keynote presentation on “Women as They Age,” contributing valuable insights to the dialogue around addressing health inequities for aging women.

Event Collaborators

The event was organized by the Jewish Health Foundation and Salzburg Global Seminars, dedicated to advancing healthcare understanding and fostering discussions on critical health issues.

Conclusion

The event highlighted disparities in healthcare for aging women and provided a platform for experts to advocate for positive change. WFPHA remains committed to addressing health inequities and promoting a holistic approach to women’s health.