A GLOBAL CONSENSUS for Achieving a Dental Cavity-free Future

Dental caries is the most prevalent non-communicable disease (NCD) in the world. It is a chronic disease, which afflicts people of all ages, and follows sufferers throughout the life-course. It is estimated that more than 2.3 billion people globally suffer from untreated caries of permanent teeth, with a further 530 million children suffering from untreated caries of primary teeth. Whilst caries can, and does, affect people from all backgrounds, children and adults from disadvantaged population groups see disproportionate levels of disease. Despite these stark figures, it is widely acknowledged that with appropriate interventions in place, caries can be managed, and the resulting cavities are largely preventable. It is only through effective collaboration across the broad spectrum of public health bodies that real steps can be taken towards making cavities history.

WFPHA published a series of articles on global oral health in the perspective of public health in the past years. This viewpoint aims to highlight oral health from a global health perspective, calling for all public health leaders to advocate for oral health of all. WFPHA acknowledges that oral diseases are a neglected epidemic affecting all ages globally while most oral diseases are preventable and share major risk factors with other NCD. Integration of oral health into public health systems is still limited in both clinical and health policy perspectives. In March 2021, the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future ‘Making Cavities History’ Taskforce published A Global Consensus for achieving a dental cavity-free future. The Consensus and its policy recommendations lay out clear measures for policy makers to follow to promote oral and general health through minimising the occurrence of caries and cavities. These recommendations support the approaches outlined in the WHO 2021 Resolution on Oral Health which will be put forward to the World Health Assembly in May 2021.

The WFPHA endorses this ACFF initiative, and believes it clearly highlights the importance of collaboration between professionals and associations from across the spectrum of public health in tackling this issue, rather than approaching caries prevention as solely a dental responsibility. We also strongly recommend oral health as an essential part of public health policy and oral health-related activities to be aligned with the Global Charter for the Public’s Health Framework. Only through increased collaboration and a collective approach to prevention can we hope to make cavities history and create a fairer future for all.

Public Health Leadership Coalition: Global Launch

A Public Health Leadership Coalition, gathering world renowned public health experts, has been launched by the WFPHA to help ensure that the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other planetary health concerns is evidence-informed, equitable and effective.

The Public Health Leadership Coalition is taking the responsibility of being a strong, independent and accountable voice of public health workforce, communities, civil societies, and scientific experts to make governments and organizations accountable for their choices.

Coalition leaders will provide scientific advice and effective solutions to enable decision-makers to implement the best evidence-based policies in public health and to make the right choice for the health and wealth of each country.

On 12 May, the Public Health Leadership Coalition was officially launched by WFPHA.

Click on the link below to watch the launch event.

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COVID-19 a Springboard for Immunization for All Ages

The WFPHA has used World Immunisation Week to call for greater coordination in the vaccination of people of all ages.

Past President, and Chair of the WFPHA Global Taskforce on Immunization, Professor Michael Moore stated “the importance of immunization across all ages has never been more obvious than as revealed through the COVID-19 pandemic”.

Professor Moore represents the WFPHA on the Immunization for All Ages (IFAA) group and has called for support for the IFAA Manifesto.

The Manifesto provides details in terms of the actions that governments, health groups and individuals can take to improve the lives of people of all ages.

WFPHA President, Professor Walter Ricciardi, supported the call stating “the WFPHA is focused on ensuring the best health outcomes possible for all peoples of the world. We should be leaving no-one behind. This is why the WFPHA supports the Manifesto developed by the IFAA and hopes that it will assist to reduce inequity, increase access to vaccination and see increased investment in prevention”.

“The time is right”, he concluded, “to take action on immunizing all of our populations not only against COVID-19 but against all of the disease for which we have an effective vaccine”.

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Public Health Answers: Local Cultural Context in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

How to advocate for solidarity among communities in times of COVID-19? What impact did cultural context have on the response and behavior of the Portuguese community? In this episode of Public Health Answers, we talk to Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, Member of the Portuguese National Parliament and Head of Public Health at the Institute of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Portugal, to get answers to these and other questions.

Click on the link below to watch the video on our YouTube. Let us know what you think and what questions you would like to ask public health experts. Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below the video.

Together We Can Overcome the COVID-19 Pandemic: Letters to G7 & G20

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health issue requiring a global solution with regional, national and local applicability. The extreme COVID-19 fatigue and uncertainty experienced by populations worldwide urgently requires both short-term and long-term practical solutions.

In countries that have been more successful in containing COVID-19, health and social professionals have been in leading roles formulating evidence-informed recommendations on the basis of best practice, and supporting societal engagement.

Therefore, the Coalition of Global Health, Primary Care and Social Work Professionals has sent an open letter to the Presidents of the 2021 G7 and G20 Summits to call on the G7 and G20 Summits to engage with the representatives of the Coalition to work directly on the co-design and co-production of local, national, regional and international strategies to effectively combat the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Together we can overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Letter to G20

Advancing Essential Public Health Functions to Prevent the Next Pandemic

The Essential Public Health Functions (EPHFs) are a set of fundamental actions taken to achieve the public health goal of improving, promoting, protecting, and restoring the health of the population through collective action. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for stronger health systems; advancing the EPHFs agenda is a priority to increase our capacity to manage and prevent diseases. In order to end this pandemic and prevent the next one, each country should invest in the EPHFs and across all sectors.

Dr. James Fitzgerald, PAHO/WHO Director, Health Systems and Services and Prof. Bettina Borisch, WFPHA Executive Director, met to discuss the challenges and best approaches to implementing the EPHFs at national and international levels.

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

This event was supported by WFPHA and University of Geneva.