The 9th National Health Assembly raised four issues affecting overall life quality of the Thai people, namely water, shelters, Aedes mosquitos and preschool children, which will be on the agenda at this year-end meeting.
Dr. Supakit Sirilak, President of National Health Assembly Organizing Committee, held a press conference at the National Health Building today (November 23, 2016) on the organization of the 9th National Health Assembly, elaborating that four agendas will be included in this year meeting, comprising; 1) urban management and development; 2) safe drinking water; 3) participatory health promotion for children aged 0-6 years; and 4) area based mosquito control. These issues have significant bearings on Thai people’s health, thereby requiring an urgent formulation of public policies, which place an emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration.
Dr. Poldej Pinprateep, Secretary General of National Health Commission, in his capacity as theSecretary of the National Health Assembly Organizing Committee, elucidated that over the past nine years, the National Health Assembly has been fulfilling its mission to be a mechanism developing and driving the participatory public policies. That is to say, it creates a public space and a process to exchange knowledge and collectively find solutions based on information, knowledge and wisdom. The solutions lead to policy proposal and recommendations to concerned ministries, agencies and sectors. National Health Commission, which comprises of 6 principle ministries, health professions and people sector, plays a coordinating role among these relevant organizations under the Health in All Policies approach.
Dr. Poldej supplemented that the collaboration among the six member ministries will be planned through various initiatives including joint policy development and movement and regular forum for dialogue. These collaboration initiatives will be in connection with Sustainable Development Goals and Civil-State Policy
The 9th National Health Assembly, which will be convened during December 21-23, 2016, at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi, will address the four following agendas:
- Urban management and development: Obviously, the housing issue has had pivotal roles in how the nation proceeds with the development. Without well-managed arrangement, numerous issues ensue, e.g. slums, land intrusion, substandard housing and environmental problem. In light of this, appropriate rules and measures are required with an emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration.
- Safe drinking water for the public: Thailand has yet to put in place regulations for standard drinking water. A survey suggests that there have not been enough inspections of the quality of bottled water for sale, particularly the water dispensers. To ensure that the Thai people have access to quality, safety and reasonable-priced drinking water, the success rely on the collaboration of relevant agencies towards the common and clear regulations.
- Participatory health promotion for children aged 0-6 years: More than half of Thai children are facing risk situations in a number of ways, including malnutrition, obesity, delayed growth development and improper behavior. The movement of the whole-of system and society ranging from a family and community level is essential, so that health promotion for preschool children has operation guidelines.
- Area based mosquito control: To ensure that every sector is aware that Aedes mosquito borne disease is preventable and controllable simply by self-protection. Nowadays the outbreak of Aedes mosquito borne disease has been increasing. On top of that, there are emerging diseases threating the world and Thailand, for example, Zika fever that causes severe brain malformations, among other birth defects. Without effective measures to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes in a timely fashion, negative impacts on health and economy could occur in Thailand.
Source: National Health Commission Office dated 23 November 2016
Photo Source: National Health Commission Office