Title: GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIR
Author:
Section/SPIG: International Health
Issue Date:
This meeting marks the half way mark in my tenure as the IH Section Chair. I have been very proud to have served the Section this year, and hope to improve my efforts in the coming year. As I reflect on the past year, I must say that the several natural disasters that have affected the United States in recent months have given us all a moment to pause and to think both as caring citizens and public health professionals about how we can contribute to ease the pain of so many families. The desire to aid communities and people who are in desperate circumstances is a basic reaction that motivates us as international health practitioners – we are servants of the needy and proud to be so – as well as being scientists searching for knowledge and constantly learning by doing. This is not the first time for many of us to experience disaster, and it certainly will not be the last time – however, by sharing our work and experiences as public health professionals, we can learn how to do this work better and more efficiently. By sharing our work and experiences, we can improve our technique and strategies that may bring relief more rapidly to so many who are in need.
During the past year the Section has achieved important advances – all of which are due to the members. Firstly, the leadership has met via a telephone conference call each month to discuss and make decisions which guide the Section. The leadership is no longer defined by those who have been elected to positions, but rather by those who are interested in Section affairs and choose to participate in the monthly conference calls. These teleconferences have been regular despite the challenging international travel schedules of the participants. In my opinion, one of the best investments we have made this year is the financing of these monthly sessions. It is gratifying to see the deep commitment of the leadership and other members who are engaged in Section activities or have asked to become engaged. If you are interested in participating in these telephone calls please contact Donna Barry at: <djbarry@earthlink.net>. She is managing the conference calls for the Section. Thank you, Donna. By participating in the phone calls you can also be called upon to serve in a Section subcommittee – or to serve as a Section co-chair, which is a new position I have started to engage more members. Please do participate. We encourage all of you to become engaged.
Secondly, as I informed you in my last letter, APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, had asked the IH Section to coordinate Association-wide on the topic of health and global trade. In January the Section recommended that APHA launch a project to (a) begin to educate the association membership about issues concerning trade and health, and (b) engage in dialogue the U.S. government and other stakeholders to increase the priority given to public health in trade policy and agreements. During the summer, Dr. Benjamin reiterated the Section’s role in coordinating this agenda. I appointed Marty Makinen to chair a committee comprising Logan Brenzel, Mary Anne Mercer, Rick Yoder, and Michelle Forzley to serve APHA as a whole and our Section membership to provide information to educate us about trade and health issues and debates. The mandate which I have provided them will be posted on the Section’s Web site. The committee is meeting by telephone periodically and is intended to be a small working group that welcomes and encourages input and participation from others, but is kept small to try to ensure that it can really work.
The committee's first set of activities is to produce a set of fact sheets or briefs on trade and health issues that are to be distributed at the trade and health sessions at the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia and posted on the IH Section Web site. The committee has exchanged information that several of its members had generated in previous efforts as a basis for deciding what initial set of topics to cover in the fact sheets/briefs. The committee has met to discuss and nominate topics and begin the work on producing them. You will receive an update of this work at the Section’s business meeting in Philadelphia.
After two tremendously successful years as Program Chair, Betsy Bassan (Chemonics) is ending her term. We thank her for her leadership in developing a stimulating program of scientific panels and other events for which we are proud. Following the change of venue, a few presenters had to pull out, which is to be expected. However, Betsy and her team rose to the occasion to find replacements. I also want to note here the International Health Film Festival ,which Betsy nurtured and has made a visible contribution to the Annual Meeting. I would like this event to be continued in future years.
Although Betsy’s shoes are quite difficult to fill, I think we have done so. I am not prepared at this moment to reveal who will serve as the Program Chair next year, but I have been discussing this appointment for several months, and will be prepared to share the news with you at the Business Meeting.
Also, I am please to announce the speaker for the Section luncheon at the Annual Meeting: USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health Kent Hill. The working title of his talk is: Public Health Emergencies and Priorities: Avian Flu, Malaria and HIV/AIDS - The USAID Public Health Agenda. I am sure this event will be very well attended so book your tickets early.
Finally, during the Annual IH Awards evening the Section will honor several deserving professionals:
· Ray Martin, International Health Distinguished Service Award
· Tim Holtz, Mid-Career Award
· Michael Latham, Lifetime Achievement Award
Please come to the event to honor these outstanding professionals, colleagues and friends. The venue for the ceremony will be announced through a broadcast e-mail and in the meeting agenda. I would like to express the Section’s deep gratitude to Chemonics, John Snow, Inc., and Management Sciences for Health for their financial support to ensure this event will be successful.
In conclusion, we must give notice that Allen Jones has stepped down as the Secretary General of the World Federation of Public Health Associations. Allen has been the Section’s closest collaborator and advisor at APHA. His knowledge and experience in international public health made him an invaluable presence in the association. His absence will be sorely missed. APHA has reorganized so that Dr Barbara Hatcher is now the Center Director for Learning, Public and Global health. Also Dr Benjamin has asked Dr. Hatcher to serve as the Interim Secretary General until the World Federation can make a permanent appointment, perhaps next year at the RIO Congress. This arrangement is still being finalized with the Federation leadership. I have notified Dr. Benjamin that the Section would like to participate in the selection process for Allen's successor and Dr. Benjamin has indicated that the section will be involved in hiring a Manager for International Health to work with Dr. Hatcher to support the Federation and to lead the international health efforts.
I very much look forward to seeing you all at the Annual Meeting. The year 2005 has been a marvelous year, marked by much innovation. By working together we can make 2006 even better. However, as this is a membership organization the responsibility for any year's success rests squarely on the shoulders of the membership. I remain committed to aiding you all make this Section exactly would you would like it to be.
--Joe Valadez, PhD, MPH, ScD; E-mail: jvaladez@worldbank.org