The International Health Committee is proud to host several members of the Women’s Health Task Force at the APHA Annual Meeting. They will be participating in MCH sessions including the Martha May Eliot Forum, and we encourage you to get to know them. These visitors are leaders in women’s health from around the globe who have been working together to improve health care and community support. The group includes:
- Dr. Chet Raj Pant, Associate Dean, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Nepal
- Dr. Godwin Aja, Associate Professor, Health Promotion and Education, Babcock University, Nigeria
- Dr. Todd Mamutle Mavis Maja, Dean, School of Nursing, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
- Dr. Amany Refaat, Professor of Community Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt
- Nighat Jahan Huda, Director, Center for Educational Development, Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Pakistan
- Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Consultant in Research, Training, Advocacy Gender, Health and Human Rights, India
- Dr. Mohamed Moukhyer, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Administration, Ahfad University for Women, Sudan
- Dr. Shakuntala Chhabra, Dean, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, India
The Women's Health Task Force has been an active and growing forum for the exchange of ideas and development of strategies and resources for women’s health. Its vision addresses the complex issues including social and gender inequalities. The main objectives of the Task Force are to teach health profession students and providers the necessary knowledge and skills to address women’s health and to encourage universities to partner with communities, include women’s rights in curricula and cultivate leadership among young women in the health professions.
The Task Force created the Women’s Health Learning Package (WHLP), consisting of 14 modules that address major women’s health topics. Each module has an introductory section containing a brief description about its underlying educational philosophy; the rationale for teaching about the social determinants of health; an overview of recommended learning methods and illustrative case studies; and formats for collecting feedback from both students and tutors. The WHLP is being revised for a 3rd edition. Over 17 pilot projects have funded its adaptation and implementation in university and community settings. For more information about the implementation and results, see a recently published article in Education for Health, http://www.educationforhealth.net/articles/subviewnew.asp?ArticleID=274. The WHLP, modules and other information may be found at http://www.whtaskforce.org/
It has been an honor to work with this diverse and talented group of professionals. Please come to the MCH International Health Committee meeting on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. to meet the group, and look for them at our sessions. Welcome, Women and Health Task Force!