POLICY AND ADVOCACY

2011 is sure to be a defining moment in global health policy.  With shifts in U.S. congressional leadership, an increasingly challenging fiscal environment and calls for cuts to federal government spending, our work to advance effective and robust health policy is more important than ever.

The committee is very active on a variety of global health issues including HIV/AIDS; TB; malaria; maternal, newborn, and child health; family planning and reproductive health; health systems strengthening; and non-communicable diseases. Over the next few months, we’ll be coordinating meetings with legislators in key districts across the country as well as supporting a number of advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C,. and around the world.

Your expertise is needed!  To join our efforts, e-mail Jirair Ratevosian, Chair, Advocacy/Policy Committee.

PROGRAM

Progress related to planned activities continues on schedule.  With the invaluable help of IH leadership, we have developed a variety of open and invited session topics.  We have many candidates for invited sessions – they will be notified as soon as possible, probably in mid-February, once the ‘open’ sessions are closed.

As in previous years, our program will comprise:

·         Nine poster sessions (10 posters each = 90 posters)

·         41 paper sessions (4-5 papers each = approx. 175 papers)

·         IH Business meetings, two sub-group working group meetings, one workshop, one social, and one lunch

·         IH film festival (three full sessions)

The details of the sessions, including abstract submission, can be found here.  More information on submitting material for the IH film festival can be accessed here.  The deadline for submitting abstracts was Feb. 11, and the IH Film Festival submission deadline is April 1.  Many thanks to the IH Section members for all their input and support, and we look forward to being in touch during the review process.

GLOBAL HEALTH CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE

We thank all volunteers who kindly provided their valuable time to staff the Welcome Booth for International Attendees at the APHA Annual Meeting in Denver in November 2010. The GHCC also thanks Georges Benjamin, Executive Director, T. J. McCabe, Director, Convention Services, and Vina HuLamm, Global Health Coordinator, for making the Welcome Booth a reality for the second year. The Welcome Booth provided the international attendees and the volunteers an excellent opportunity to network and form new friendships.

A team of GHCC members, headed by Jaya Prakash, is working with APHA to develop a Global Health Expertise Directory.  If you are interested in joining this team, please contact Jaya.