First Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Goup for South-East Asia Public Health Initiative, 2004-2008, WHO/SEARO, New Delhi-1-2 November 2004

Address by Dr Samlee Plianbangchang Regional Director, WHO/SEARO at First Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group for South-East Asia Public Health Initiative, 2004-2008 WHO/SEARO, New Delhi 1 November 2004 First Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group for South-East Asia Public Health Initiative, 2004-2008, WHO/SEARO, New Delhi , 1-2 November 2004 Address by Dr Samlee Plianbangchang Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Dr Uton Muchtar Rafei, Members of the Strategic Advisory Group, Public Health Experts, Ladies and gentlemen, • I warmly welcome you all to the first meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group. • I would like to thank Members of the Group and other public health experts for sparing their valuable time to be with us. • Through this meeting, we would like to seek your valuable guidance on the effective ways to strengthen public health in the South-East Asia Region. • There is every reason to believe that our countries need much stronger public health infrastructure to cope with all kinds of challenges in the field of health. • The need for strengthening public health in this Region has always been recognized and we have been attempting to meet this need. 3 • What we are trying to do now is the continuation and acceleration of the work already initiated. • Many of us here have contributed significantly to the development of public health in the Region in the past. • We have to help countries to be well prepared to face health challenges, now and in future. • There are a multitude of complex health challenges today such as: - New, emerging and re-emerging diseases; - Global warming and environmental degradation; - Increasing occurrence and severity of natural and man-made disasters; and - Deliberate use of biological, chemical and radiological agents. • During the past two decades, we have seen rapid changes in the epidemiological patterns of the prevailing diseases of public health importance. • At the same time, we have witnessed tremendous advances in health care technology; as well as in biotechnology and in the pharmaceutical sectors. 4 • The rapid globalization of trade has had a significant impact on health of people, particularly in developing countries. • Lifestyles and living conditions of large segments of the world population have undergone dramatic changes. • At the same time, keeping in mind another angle of health development, we are emphasizing the need for, and promoting vigorous efforts in disease prevention and health promotion – to help people to always stay healthy, and not to fall sick unnecessarily. • Recognizing the central role of health in development, Member States are trying hard to combat ill health and keep their population healthy, in order to ensure economic and social productivity in the development process. • To be able to do these, a strong public health system is really needed. • Unfortunately, in most of our countries there has been a perceptible decline in both the quality and quantity of public health infrastructure, especially human resources and services. • With this in mind, WHO/SEARO organized a regional conference in 1999 on ‘Public Health in South-East Asia in the 21st Century’. 5 • The conference, which was attended by prominent public health experts, from both within and outside the Region, issued the ‘Calcutta Declaration on Public Health.’ • Since then, as follow up actions of this declaration, many activities under WHO support have taken place to strengthen public health practice and education in the Region. • One important activity was the meeting on “Future Directions in Public Health - Calcutta and Beyond,” held at WHO/SEARO in December 2003. • As Regional Director-elect, I promised to intensify efforts in strengthening public health in the Region, with particular emphasis on the development of public health workforce through educational programmes, relevant to the specific needs of the Region. • In pursuing to meet this promise, we recognize that the development of effective public health for the Region should be based on the ecological, epidemiological, demographical and environmental perspectives of countries in the Region. • The Region needs public health interventions that: - particularly emphasize disease prevention and health promotion; 6 - focus on the community and the whole population; - involve all concerned sectors and disciplines; - involve peoples from all walks of life; and, - not less important, pay special attention to the underserved, underprivileged, poor and vulnerable groups of population. • For the countries to make progress in sustainable health development, the establishment of effective public health systems is imperative. • Honourable members of the Group, there are many things to be done to meet this formidable challenge. • Taking into consideration the background scenario of this Region, I have launched the “South-East Asia Public Health Initiative, 2004-2008”. • This initiative aims to place development and strengthening of public health high on the regional and national health development agenda, with the emphasis on public health workforce. • In the process, we also hope to facilitate countries to define an appropriate package of essential public health functions, tailored to individual countries’ situation and needs. 7 • A preliminary document has been prepared to elaborate what we intend to do in the next 4-5 years in supporting the Member States in this development. • This paper will be introduced at the beginning of this meeting. • To implement the actions identified in the document, we will proceed step by step, taking into account our capacity in terms of manpower and budget. • And certainly, we need financial help from outside the Region to facilitate WHO technical activities in this regard. • As I said, the first thing we would like to pursue in this exercise is the strengthening of public health education in countries, to ensure the availability of a critical mass of public health practitioners and professionals required for future health development. • Quality public health education with a curriculum tailored to countries’ needs; and a training programme grounded in the practical realities of field conditions are necessary for developing an effective public health workforce, that is multi-disciplinary and multi-skilled. • This is why the theme for this meeting is, “Public Health Education in the South-East Asia Region”. 8 • What we mainly expect from this meeting is a conceptual framework for the development of a public health educational programme relevant to the needs and requirements of countries in the Region. • And, no less important, such a programme should be suitable for implementation in the countries, taking into particular consideration their social, cultural, economic and political context. • Colleagues; there is a long standing issue in this part of the world that the Governments cannot find enough health staff willing to work in the areas of public health. • Public health programmes, such as the expanded programme on immunization, malaria control, tuberculosis control, diarrhoeal disease control, parasitic disease control, water and sanitation, and so on are suffering. • These programmes cannot be developed and implemented effectively; therefore, we cannot control these diseases and the peoples’ health continues being affected and to deteriorate. • A weak public health infrastructure, including the public health workforce, contributes to the emergence and re- emergence of many communicable diseases in various countries. 9 • It is time for us to critically look at our systems of public health education today, with a view to effect the desired changes, and to make it more effective in drawing the interest of whoever likes to work in the areas of public health. • Certainly, education alone may not be adequate to be so attractive; a promising career ladder in public health is among many other things, that must also be strengthened or developed. • WHO can advise the countries on the concepts and approaches in structuring such a career ladder and other incentive systems; however, it is for the Governments themselves to pursue the development in keeping with their countries’ situation and circumstances. • Ladies and gentlemen, I am fully aware of the huge tasks that lie ahead. • Public health is a vast and complex area; to effect dramatic changes in public health in a limited time- frame is a great challenge for all of us. • However, we should be neither discouraged nor deterred from making a fresh start and moving forward with a strong will and commitment. 10 • We are fortunate to have this group of public health experts, which brings a wide spectrum of knowledge and experiences to this important exercise. • While pursuing this formidable task, it must always be kept in mind also that sustainable national development in health depends on strong public health systems and infrastructure. • The Governments of the Member States should fully recognize this necessity. • We look forward to a fruitful association with you all in the coming months and years in supporting and facilitating the Member States in the Region to build a solid public health capacity in countries. • At the Regional Office, we have an in-house task force for this exercise. • The task force will work closely with the Strategic Advisory Group and other experts during this meeting, and throughout the period of the implementation of the initiative. • For this meeting, I wish all of you productive deliberations and successful conclusions. 11 • And finally, I wish you all an enjoyable stay in Delhi. Thank you. Q:\RD-OFFICE\Speeches\2004\1st SAG for SEA PHI, 2004-2008, 1-2 Nov 04, SEARO, New Delhi, for Intranet.doc – 1 Nov. 04/2.15 pm