Global public health leadership for the twenty first century: towards improved health of all populations

We are at an unprecedented moment in history in terms of the health of populations around the world. New and old problems all require both short- and long-term solutions, at the individual, community, national and global levels. Unique solutions for each challenge may not be feasible or adequately effective or cost-effective. We are confronted by health systems that are not well matched to current and future needs, both for sustained prevention and chronic care. Moving forward effectively as a field will benefit from a focus on the changing needs of global health, and on how changing conditions, globally, should define the next generation of public health leadership so as to best accomplish global health goals.

Global health and foreign policy

Operative paragraph 5 of the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/63/33 on Global Health and Foreign Policy requests the Secretary-General, in close collaboration with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, and in consultation with Member States, to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, in 2009, a comprehensive report, with recommendations, on challenges, activities and initiatives related to foreign policy and global health, taking into account the outcome of the annual ministerial review to be held by the Economic and Social Council in 2009." In close coordination with the office of the UNSG, and in consultation with Member States, WHO took the lead in preparing this report.

Partnerships in mental healthcare service delivery in low-resource settings: developing an innovative network in rural Nepal

Mental illnesess are the largest contributors to the global burden of non-communicable diseases. However, there is extremly limited access to high quality, culturally-sensitive, and contextually-appropriate mental healthcare services. This situation persists despite the availability of interventions with proven efficacy to improve patient outcomes. A partnerships network is necessary for successful program adaptation and implementation

What do we mean when we talk about the Triple Aim? A systematic review of evolving definitions and adaptations of the framework at the health system level

Notwithstanding important contributions of the Triple Aim, uncristal enthusiasm regarding the implications of the framework may be leading to  inconsistent use, particularly when apploed at the health system level, which goes beyond he original positioning of the framework as a strategic organizing principle to guide improvement initiatives at the organizational or local community level. This article identified uses of the Triple Aim that extended beyond its original intention to focus on uses at the whole health system level, to assess convergence and divergence with the original definition. They also attempted to identify consistencies in the way the Triple Aim was adapted for different contexts and settings. 

People-Centered Integrated Care

Video made by Andalusian School of Public Health in Andalusia with Dr. Salman Rawaf, Professor of Public Health and Director of the WHO Collaborating at the Imperial College London.

People-Centered Integrated Care -Salman Rawaf interview - Minuto Experto 88

Video made by Andalusian School of Public Health in Andalusia with Dr. Salman Rawaf, Professor of Public Health and Director of the WHO Collaborating at the Imperial College London.

Global collaborative healthcare: assessing the resource requirements at a leading Academic Medical Center

Academic Medical Centers ("AMCs") have served as a hub of the United States ("US") health system and represented the state-of-the art in American health care for well over century. Currently, the AMCs have engaged in global collaborative healthcare, employing different models based on services offered, global distribution, and inclination to assume risk. Engaging in these collaborations requires significant effort from across the health system, and an understanding of the resources required is paramount for effective delivery and to avoid overextension and diversion from the primary mission of these organizations. 

Good collaborative practice: reforming capacity building governance of international health research partnerships

In  line with the policy objetives of the United Nations sustainable Development Goals, this commentary seeks to examine the extent which provisions of international health research guidance promote capacity building and equitable partnerships in global health research. Theri evaluation finds that governance of collaborative research partnership, in resource- constrained settigns is limited but has improved with the implementation guidance of the International Ethical Guidelines for Health- related Research Involving Humans by The Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS 2016)

Development of global health research in China

With the continuous deepening and broaddening of Chin´s engagement in global health as well as the transformation of its role in global health governance, global healh science have made great strides in China, from the infancy stage of last century to the grown-up stage of this century. Considerable progress in global health discipline has been witnessed, especially in the last ten years. This report analyse the three crucial indications that characterized the rapid development of global health in China

Defining the global health system and systematically mapping its network of actors

The global health system has faced significant expansion over the past few decades, including continued increase in both the number and diversity of actors operating within it. However, without a stronger understanding of what the global health system encompasses, coordination of actors and resources to addres today´s global health challenges will not be possible

Community health workers and accountability: reflections from an international “think-in”

Community health workers (CHWs) are frequently put forward as a remedy for lack of health system capacity, including challenges associated with health service coverage and with low community engagement in the health system, and expected to enhance or embody health system accountability. During a ‘think in’, held in June of 2017, a diverse group of practitioners and researchers discussed the topic of CHWs and their possible roles in a larger “accountability ecosystem.” While CHWs are often conceptualized as cogs in a mechanistic health delivery system, at the end of the day, CHWs are people embedded in families, communities, and the health system. CHWs’ social position and professional role influence how they are treated and trusted by the health sector and by community members, as well as when, where, and how they can exercise agency and promote accountability. To that end, this study put forward several propositions for further conceptual development ...

WHO European High-level Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases “Achieving Sustainable Development Goal targets in the WHO European Region through prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases over the life-course”

The year 2018 witnessed incredible global mobilization for the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Member States, WHO and partners expanded their commitments and the scope of their work to achieve ambitious targets. The third United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs and a series of high-level international meetings and conferences on the health system response to NCDs, primary health care, global mental health and air pollution will serve as context and background for the WHO European High-level Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases. The event will take place in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on 9–10 April 2019.

Globalization and health equity: The impact of structural adjustment programs on developing countries

Among the many drivers of health inequities, this article focuses on important, yet insufficiently understood, international-level determinants: economic globalization and the organizations that spread market-oriented policies to the developing world. One such organization is the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which provides financial assistance to countries in economic trouble in exchange for policy reforms. Through its ‘structural adjustment programs,’ countries around the world have liberalized and deregulated their economies. We examine how policy reforms prescribed in structural adjustment programs explain variation in health equity between nations—approximated by health system access and neonatal mortality. Our empirical analysis uses an original dataset of IMF-mandated policy reforms for a panel of up to 137 developing countries between 1980 and 2014. We employ regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between these reforms and health equity, taking into account the non-random selection and design of IMF programs. We find that structural adjustment reforms lower health ...

A novel approach to integrated care using mobile technology within home services. The ADMR pilot study

The care model for supporting elderly people living independently at home relies on the informal and formal assistance of caregivers. Information and communication technology (ICT) offers new approaches for informal care services for this group.

16th World Congress on Public Health 2020, Public health for the future of humanity: analysis, advocacy and action

The global public health community will be meeting at a critical time for our planet. Global temperatures lie far beyond historical records and there are real fears that we are reaching a tipping point. Threats to food and water supply, poverty and inequalities are leading to mass migration and conflict.

The theme of the World Congress, Public Health for the Future of Humanity: Analysis, Advocacy, and Action, reflects the commitment that the global public health community must make visible the threats to health, and must challenge and hold to account those with the power to make a difference.

Read more about the plenary programme of the World Congress on Public Health here.

Innovative Integrated Health And Social Care Programs In Eleven High-Income Countries

High-income countries face the challenge of providing effective and efficient care to the relatively small proportion of their populations with high health and social care needs. Recent reports suggest that integrated health and social care programs target specific high-needs population segments, coordinate health and social care services to meet their clients’ needs, and engage clients and their caregivers. We identified thirty health and social care programs in eleven high-income countries that delivered care in new ways. We used a structured survey to characterize the strategies and activities used by these programs to identify and recruit clients, coordinate care, and engage clients and caregivers. We found that there were some common features in the implementation of these innovations across the eleven countries and some variation related to local context or the clients served by these programs. Researchers could use this structured approach to better characterize the core components of innovative integrated ...

Seventy-third World Health Assembly (WHA73)

The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.

This year, the 73rd World Health Assembly is held virtually in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A reduced (de minimis) meeting was held on 18-19 May 2020.

The resumed WHA73 will take place from 9-14 November 2020.

You will be able follow proceedings on WHO webcast.

All documents can be found on the main documents page for the WHA73.

Strengthening primary health care: contributions of young professional-led communities of practice

Health systems that have strong primary health care at their core have overall better patient outcomes. Primary health care is key to achieving Universal Health Coverage and the broader health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In 2018, at the launch of the Declaration of Astana, the World Health Organization formed the inaugural Primary Health Care Young Leaders’ Network. This paper aims to demonstrate the scope for young professional-led communities of practice in fostering support systems for young leaders and strengthening the delivery of primary health care at multiple levels.

Geneva Health Forum "Covid-19 Pandemic and Environmental Emergency: Reinventing Global Health in Times of Global Change"

Geneva Health Forum, 3rd to 5th May 2022: "Covid-19 Pandemic and Environmental Emergency: Reinventing Global Health in Times of Global Change"
 
The Geneva Health Forum (GHF) brings us together around major global health issues. It gives a voice to actors from the field and bridges them with policy-makers present in Geneva. It gives visibility to innovative, accessible and sustainable practices and tools and to important initiatives. After more than 15 years of existence, the GHF has become a crucial event in the field of global health.
 
For its 9th edition, which will take place from 3rd to 5th May 2022, #GHF2022 will address crucial issues for our future. Under the theme “Covid-19 Pandemic and Environmental Emergency: Reinventing Global Health in Times of Global Changes”, the GHF will help us learn the lessons from the Covid-19 crisis and better understand the impact of environmental degradation on human health.
 
Indeed, the Covid-19 ...

2022 Progress report on the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All. Stronger collaboration for an equitable and resilient recovery towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals – Incentivizing collaboration

As COVID-19 continued to dominate global health over the last year, the direct and indirect impact of the pandemic has led progress against the health-related SDGs to fall even further behind.  At the same time, crises such as armed conflict, increasing food insecurity, political and economic instability and the growing impact of climate change threaten to derail recovery from the pandemic.

A key way to respond to and ensure an equitable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 is for multilateral agencies to collaborate even more closely in providing effective and efficient joint support to countries, which is the foundation of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (SDG3 GAP).

SDG3 GAP is helping to promote synergies among its signatory agencies’ pandemic-specific responses and longer-term work to accelerate progress towards the SDGs by creating an improvement platform for collaboration on health among key actors in the multilateral system.

World Health Summit 2022

HEALTH FOR ALL IS THE GOAL – THE WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT 2022 IS THE EVENT

The World Health Organization looks forward to co-organizing this year’s World Health Summit (WHS), 16-18 October in Berlin, Germany.

The 2022 World Health Summit aims to stimulate innovative approaches to health challenges worldwide; reaffirm the position of global health as a key political issue, foster health and well-being of all, and strengthen the international exchange of information. The WHS 2022 will create synergies and combine forces by engaging all relevant global health leaders and stakeholders from all sectors in all regions of the world.

WHS 2022 will focus on “Making the Choice for Health” by reflecting on the most pressing topics, including:

Investment for Health and Well-Being

Climate Change and Planetary Health

Architecture for Pandemic Preparedness

Digital Transformation for Health

Food Systems and Health

Health Systems Resilience and Equity

Global Health for Peace

Programme and ...

Effectiveness of a community-integrated intermediary care (CIIC) service model to enhance family-based long-term care for Thai older adults in Chiang Mai, Thailand: a cluster-randomized controlled trial TCTR20190412004

Populations around the world are ageing faster, with the majority living in low- and middle-income countries where health and social care are yet to be universal and inclusive for the ageing population. This community-integrated intermediary care (CIIC) model is a novel prevention-based, long-term care model enhancing the family-based care system traditionally practised in Thailand and neighbouring Asian countries, and many low-and middle-income countries globally. This study assessed the effectiveness of the CIIC model in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Models of Integrated Care: The global experience

This Global Experience Paper on Integrated Health Care was developed to provide the Primary Health Care Institute (PHCI) in Libya with insights as it designs and develops its plans to rebuild primary health care (PHC). The findings are informed by a review of recent international literature, and by insights provided by selected international experts. The paper uses the Framework on Integrated, People-Centered Health Services from the World Health Organization to structure the analysis of global experiences. Overall, there is no single model of integration that can or should be adopted in countries seeking to develop primary health care. There is, however, evidence of good practice in designing and developing local, context-specific solutions. Evidence to support effective strategies and policies relevant for conflict-affected situations is scarce. However, there are some common themes and issues relating to the need to rebuild trust in the quality and safety of services; to build from ...

Universal health coverage is a matter of equity, rights, and justice

The Coalition of Partnerships for Universal Health Coverage and Global Health calls on all countries to urgently reinvigorate progress towards health for all.

At the High Level Political Forum in July and the three UN High-level meetings on health, upcoming in September, 2023, all countries must recognise that progress in providing tuberculosis care, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and delivering the human right to health through universal health coverage are interrelated goals, requiring a concerted focus on the most vulnerable and marginalised populations.