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World Health Organisation
WHO Thailand Site
WHO Thailand Report
WHO HQ Site
WHO is a specialized agencywithin the Charter of the United Nations and was established in 1948 by 61 Governments "for the purpose of co-operation among themselves and with others to promote the health for all people". The number of Member States has now grown to 191. The WHO headquarters is situated in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) located in New Delhi, India, covers 11 countries, including Thailand.
The WHO Representative to Thailand (WHO Thailand) is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the RTG/WHO collaborative programme, which includes such technical areas as health systems reform, emerging and re-emerging diseases, health promotion, tobacco control, border health and technical cooperation among countries.
WHO PRINCIPLES AND PURPOSES
WHO’s work in Thailand is guided by a set of principles that are laid down in the Country Cooperation Strategy (pdf file available at: http://w3.whothai.org/en/section3/CCS_THAILAND.pdf). These are:
Advocacy
Equity
Knowledge Management
· Capacity building
· Monitoring and Evaluation
The main technical areas of support:
Evidence-based health systems reform is supported through research and policy interactions. Technical support for research studies and developmental activities is provided covering decentralization, responsiveness of the health system, monitoring performance and supply side responses in support of universal coverage, and health research systems development.
Emerging and re-emerging diseases continue to pose a threat to public health in Thailand, and, in some cases, are increasing in importance due to large-scale cross-border migration. Important issues and challenges that WHO is addressing in collaboration with national and international partners include multisectoral efforts to reduce the transmission of major communicable diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria) and technical assistance to increase Thailand’s capacity for epidemic preparedness and response.
Guidance is provided for maintenance of good health and integrated approaches, combining social policy and individual action that facilitate community empowerment for health promotion and protection throughout the life cycle. Support focuses on the identification and promotion of research and operational studies required to advance ideas, best practices and guidance affecting health promotion. One of specific priority areas is Tobacco Control.
The border health programme continues its focus on improving the health of the population in the border area, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups. Health coordination is strengthened through provincial level and border wide meetings. In collaboration with the MOPH and international organizations, efforts continue to develop a standardized process for collecting health data on migrants.
Theroll back malaria Mekong aims at the reduction of malaria mortality and the disease burden of malaria (incidence) preferentially in the population where malaria is a major health problem by improved surveillance and insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
Systematic support is provided in building up a critical mass of human resources skilled in international health policy, systems and technical expertise. A mapping exercise in technical cooperation, identifying both individuals and institutions capable of providing international level advice and training has been carried out. WHO Thailand is currently exploring ways and means to provide a better and more focused synergy of technical cooperation programmes, human resources, funding and activities.
WHO is normally not an implementing agency. For this purpose supports is provided to the Ministry of Public Health, Universities, NGOs and community based organizations in a partnership mode.
In areas of non-programme support, WHO Thailand assists the Thai nationals to attend international meetings, workshops and seminars. In addition, support includes assistance in the recruitment of Thai consultants in other WHO countries. WHO Thailand has awarded fellowships to Thai nationals to study in other countries in various public health subjects. In addition, fellows from other countries pursue training programmes in various health disciplines in Thailand under the WHO fellowship programme.
WHO Thailand also receives requests from other countries in Asia to purchase and ship various supplies and equipment from Thailand.
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