#WorldinTurmoil: A Reflections on Public Health, the Pandemic, and the Importance of Building Trust

Prof. Ilona Kickbusch, Founding Director and Chair of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, is interviewed by Prof. Bettina Borisch, Executive Director of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), and shares her thoughts on why politics and public health must go hand in hand, what the weaknesses of public health are and what can be done to strengthen it, the role and needs of young people in public health, and, last but not least, how and where health is created.

By clicking on the link below, you can read the article on the Croakey Health Media website.

Watch the interview by clicking on the link below.

This article is published as part of the #WorldinTurmoil series.

Interview

#WorldinTurmoil: Global Health Leaders Urged to Learn from Recent History in Afghanistan and to Work for Peace, for Health

Conflicts are ravaging the world and not enough is being done.

Dr Wahid Majrooh, Former Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, shares his firsthand experience on how the conflict in Afghanistan has affected the health system.

Through his article, Dr Majrooh shares his hope that what happened in Afghanistan will serve both as a warning and a calling to the global community to put an end to conflict and to work towards building peace and health for all.

By clicking on the link below, you can read the article on the Croakey Health Media website.

This article is published as part of the #WorldinTurmoil series.

Protecting Health Workforce through Vaccination in Low-income & Low-Middle-income Countries

Protecting people worldwide with the appropriate vaccinations is a priority to save millions of lives. This is even more true for the healthcare and public health workforce, very often on the front lines of caring for patients and communities.

While many countries, including those in less wealthy settings, often have infrastructure and policies to guarantee vaccinations for children, this is not always the case for adults or for health workers. Indeed, in many countries, a lack of infrastructure or appropriate policies undermines access to vaccination throughout the lifespan. This means that high-risk categories like health workers are not protected, creating a huge problem not only for the individual but for the whole society.

On December 08, 2022, at 10:00 (CET), health and public health professionals from low- and lower-middle-income countries presented the real life of a health worker in their country, explaining whether and how this category is or is not protected by immunization in order to better understand the situation on the ground, the needs, and the gaps to be filled.

This webinar is available to view by clicking on the link below.

What Is the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) Doing?

At a special session of the World Health Assembly, which took place in December 2021, the WHO’s Member States decided to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), representing all regions of the world. The INB is responsible for drafting and negotiating a convention, agreement, or other international instrument under the Constitution of the WHO to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (referred to as the WHO CA+).

In July 2022, during the second meeting of the INB, it was agreed that the WHO CA+ should contain both legally binding and non-legally binding elements. Also, the INB identified that Article 19 of the WHO Constitution is the comprehensive provision under which the instrument should be adopted.

In December 2022, during the third meeting of the INB, the Conceptual Zero Draft (CZD) of the WHO CA+, including its structure, was considered. Moreover, the way forward for the INB negotiation process, including development of a Zero Draft of the instrument was discussed. The INB agreed to develop the zero draft to start negotiations at the fourth INB meeting in February 2023.

WFPHA Condemns Attacks on Democracy in Brazil

On January 8, 2023, a week after Lula da Silva’s inauguration as the new president of Brazil, thousands of supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro invaded the country’s National Congress, the Presidential Palace and the Federal Supreme Court in the capital Brasília. Bolsonaro’s supporters are refusing to accept that he lost the election and asking for military intervention with Lula’s removal.

As it represents an attempt to incite the Armed Forces to lead the installation of a new dictatorship in Brazil, in total disregard of democratic principles, the WFPHA condemns this outrageous attack on government buildings in Brazil and declares its full support for the Brazilian public health community and Brazilian democrats in their fight for respect for democracy.

WFPHA Supports the International Hospital Federation Statement on Sustainability

On November 8, 2022, the General Assembly of the International Hospital Federation approved a statement that focuses on the role of hospitals and healthcare organizations in addressing sustainability challenges.

The statement calls upon all hospital and health system leaders to incorporate every effort to decarbonize and build climate resilience into their decisions, strategic and operational plans.

The WFPHA has endorsed this statement to join forces to generate positive impacts for the generations to come.