Strengthening Public Health Systems A Priority

Public Health

WHO has called for a paradigm shift in the approach to public health. A successful health system focuses on prevention and health promotion rather than the cure and treatment. This paradigm aims at promoting health systems that actively change the conditions that make people sick.

New public health challenges demand new partnerships and closer cooperation and collaboration through existing and new networks. One of the major challenges confronting public health education institutes is to conduct their educational programmes and research projects that can address major public health problems facing the Region. An international workshop has been organized to encourage this approach through the South-East Asia Public Health Education Institutions Network (SEAPHEIN).

Appealing to policy-makers and public health education institutions to "Go beyond traditional sectors and disciplines, Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, stressed the need for a "multi-pronged strategy and approach in public health education .

The Calcutta Declaration on Public Health (December 1999) called for countries to promote public health as a discipline; to recognize the leadership role of public health in formulating and implementing evidence-based healthy public policies, in creating supportive environment and enhancing social responsibility, and in advocating increased allocations of human and financial resources for health to strengthen and reform public health education, training and research. Since the Calcutta Declaration in 1999, WHO- Regional Office for South-East Asia has pursued efforts to promote public health education in Member countries.

Public health in the South-East Asia Region faces many challenges, including climate change and its impact on health. With a growing ageing population, the disease profile is changing. Emerging diseases also need special attention. The outbreak of SARS in 2003, and, more recently, avian flu, remind us of how vulnerable we are to new infections which have a tremendous impact beyond the health sector. Public health institutions need to take the lead in prevention and control of such epidemics, as part and parcel of the national health system.

WHO ,, s Regional Office for South-East Asia has been supporting capacity building activities to develop human resources for health as part of the overall development of public health institutions. Training courses are being developed in field epidemiology, disease surveillance, laboratory diagnosis and management of diseases specific to the Region.