Jaipur
(Rajasthan, India) At
the concluding ceremony of three days 8th South East Asia Public
Health Education Institutions Network’s (SEAPHEIN) Annual conference first
Indian, Dr. SD Gupta is elected as President and will be driving the SEAPHEIN’s
goals in the interest of member countries. The 8th SEAPHEIN annual
conference was kicked off in collaboration with IIHMR University and WHO SEARO
on 13th Feb.
Major
concern of all the member countries of SEAPHEIN was to put UHC at the centre of
the overall health goal, and make progress towards the UHC target a
prerequisite for the achievement of all the other target covered under SDGs
health goal. Under SDG the core target is to achieve universal health coverage
(UHC) - including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health
care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential
medicines and vaccines for all. The goal of UHC is relevant to all
countries and offers an unprecedented opportunity to increase coherence in
health related actions and initiatives.
Dr. S D Gupta, President of SEAPHEIN and Chairman of
IIHMR University said, “I feel honored as elected
to lead the SEAPHEIN agenda of promoting public health education and training
in the academic institutions and universities. Public Health Sector requires professionally
trained human resource globally to drive the agenda set by WHO, for achieving
sustainable development goals. ”
SEAPHEIN
members deliberated their thoughts on redefining the role of public health
education institutions to transform public health education, training, research
and innovation so that skilled health workforce can be prepared for promoting
UHC and achievement of health goals under SDGs. They also discussed to promote
multi-centric and multi country research through collaboration.
Dr. PR Sodani, Organising Secretary of SEAPHEIN and
Dean Training, IIHMR University said, “SEAPHEIN
is a network to bring South East Asian Countries on a single platform and to
work for enhancing quality of public health teaching, training and research.”
For
the 17th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2030 agenda set by
WHO, the integration of all the three dimensions of sustainable development
(economic, social and environmental) is necessary that includes
eradication of poverty and inequality, creating inclusive economic growth and
preserving the planet. The three days conference of South East Asia Public
Health Education Institutions Network (SEAPHEIN) organised by IIHMR University
was attended by the Public Health Professionals from South East Asia Region,
about 9 countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar,
Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal.
For
UHC as a key goal of SDGs of WHO, SEAPHEIN will put its best to create
standards and qualities of public health education and training. Some of the
UHC goals like Inequalities in Coverage, Financial Protection etc. This
approach is required universally especially in the case of reproductive, maternal,
newborn and child health. This is especially the case for developing countries.
Likewise a relative inequality based on the health coverage among the poorest populations
to the national average should also be managed by giving financial protection
to citizens.