WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANT~
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
RIDIONAL COMMITl'EE Sixteenth Session Seoul 16-21 September 1965
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS
WPjRC16/'I!D3 17 August 1965 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
GUIDELINES FOR THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS 1
TOPIC "The Use of Health Mucation Services in National Health Programmes".
2
PURPOSE OF THE DISCUSSIONS
2.1 To promote wider understanding and use of health education services in national health programmes in countries of the Western Pacific Region through the exchange of information on what is being done in Member countries and through discussion of basic questions and problems connected with planning, establishing and using such services. 2.2 To review the existing needs and resources available, or potentially available, for the further development of health education services in the Region, including training in health education. 2.3 To consider, in the light of information available, what suggestions may be made to assist governments to develop and effectively use health education services in national health programmes. 3 PREPARATION FOR THE DISCUSSICJ!ITS
It is suggested that country representatives consult national public health administrators, programme directors, health educators and others concerning the use of health education services in national health programmes in their countries and seek fr.om them suggestions on questions and problems, in connexion with the topic, 'lrThich would be usefully considered at the Technical Discussions. Each representative will be asked to give a brief statement on health education activities in his own country and to present some questions and problems concerning this aspect of public health practice which might be raised for discussion (see document WP/RC16/TD2, item 1.1). /Background materials •...
WP/RC161 D3 page 2 BE .:kground materials which may be read in preparation f'or the discus ,ions include: - Fifteenth Annual Report of the Regional Director to the Regional Committee, item 1.3, pages 30-35 - First Report of the Expert Committee on Health Education of the Public, WId Hlth Org. techno Rep. ~, 1954, 89 - Report on the PARO/WHO Inter-Regional Conference on the Postgraduate Preparation of Health Workers for Health Education, WId Hlth Org. techno Rep. Ser., 1964, 278, item 2.1, pages 16-20
4
QUESTIONS AND PROBLJil.1S
First consideration will be given to questions and problems raised by the representatives during the Technical Discussions. Thef'ollowing questions and problems are presented as a result of' a preliminary questionnaire sent out to persons in various parts of the Region who are involved with the use of' health education services in national health programmes. (1) (2) For what purpose are health education services set up at the national level? What are the functions of such a service? In what health programmes in your country or territory are health education services used to help carry out: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) analysis and study of educational aspects of' health problems in the community; planning the educational aspects of the programme; programme operation and conduct of the educational aspects of the programme; preparation of other health personnel for health education; evaluation; research.
(3)
(See WId Hlth Org. techno Rep. Ser., 1964, item 2.1)
278,
/(4)
When there is •••
WPjRC16jTD3 page 3 (4) When there is an acute shortage of professional health education specialists, where can they be best utilized in relation to national health programmes? How can health education services be used in countries where there is a large illiterate population, where new economic resources are becoming available to people who have previously known only a subsistence economy and where new public health problems are arising due to urbanization? What can the health education service contribute in training of personnel? What can be done to ensure training in health education for all health workers in the Region - basic in-'service and post-graduate? What are the responsibilities of the health education service in media production? What are some of the problems in making the best use of this service in each of the various health programmes being directed by national or territorial health ministries or departments, such as mother and child welfare, school health, environmental sanitation, malaria eradication, etc.? In what respects are the existing health education services successful in helping us do the educational job required by these programmes? In what ways have they appeared to fail? What aspects of our developing national or territorial health education services need to be given more attention in order that health programmes administered by our ministries and departments will be effective in their efforts to educate and bring about necessary action on the part of the public? What organizational and administrative prOvisions are deSirable for a health education service to function most effectively? What is the role of voluntary agencies in providing health education services? In what ways can the health education unit assist with planning and developing health education in the home? schools? community? In what ways can .fe bring about government understanding and support for establishing health education services jwhen health
(5)
(6) (7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
..
(12)
(13) (14)
(15)
• WP/RC16/TD3 page
4 when health education offers few short-term solutions to problems and is therefore not alW8\YS attractive as an item of public expenditure? (16) In what w8\Ys can we get known scientific information down to the "grass roots" level in terms convincing enough to bring about change in behaViour? How can health education services help us to know leaders, habits, customs and local conditions? How can health education services be used to create recognition of needs for changing health behaviOur, increased health services, budget, etc.? What can be done to integrate health education activities into existing health services? What can be done to provide qualified leadership for national health education services?
(17) (18)
(19) (20)
A number of questions and problems on leadership, organiza.tion and administration of national health education services have been submitted. These will be referred for consideration to the First Regional Seminar on Health Education scheduled to be held in Manila in 1966. The Technical Discussions of the Regional Committee meeting will give major attention to "the uses of bealth education services in national health programmes n •