Source: https://theactive.thaipbs.or.th/news/publichealth-20241127 and NHCO Thailand
Representatives from the international networks and other countries have reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing social participation for universal health coverage (UHC) and well-being, emphasizing their readiness for global collaboration.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health highlighted the importance of including vulnerable and marginalized groups in policy development. This stance aligns with the 77th World Health Assembly’s endorsement of the resolution Social Participation for UHC, Health, and Well-being, proposed by Thailand at the United Nations Office (Palais des Nations) in Geneva, Switzerland. On June 1, 2024, over 30 member countries, including Brazil, Slovenia, and France, formally supported the resolution.
The joint statement on WHA Resolution on Social Participation was convened at 17th National Health Assembly 2024 (NHA 17) Thailand, to reaffirm a commitment to advancing the WHO Assembly resolution on social participation for health. NHA 17 was held under the theme of “New Era Economy: Creating Sustainable Thai Health” at the IMPACT Forum in Muang Thong Thani on November 27, 2024.
Speaking on behalf of Thailand and the National Health Assembly, Deputy Minister of Public Health Dej-is Khaothong underscored the importance of collaborative efforts across government agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, and partner organizations to develop a fair and inclusive health system. He emphasized that such collaboration is vital for addressing various crises and achieving the goals outlined in the social participation resolution adopted at the 77th World Health Assembly.
Two key issues were identified as priorities:
- Establishing a regular and high-quality participation process: This involves ensuring that representatives from vulnerable and marginalized groups are actively included in policy development. These groups must have opportunities to contribute to decision-making, share their perspectives, and benefit equally from the outcomes.
- Enhancing and modernizing social participation mechanisms: Inclusivity and effectiveness are paramount. This requires empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds and strengthening the capacities of government agencies, civil society organizations, and communities.
“We will leverage our capacity to enhance civic engagement, foster trust, and strengthen the partnership between government and citizens, ultimately advancing the collective health and prosperity of our society,” said Deputy Minister Dej-is Khaothong.
Miss Nisit Sakyaphan, a representative from the National Health Commission, Thailand added: “Civil society is the foundation of democracy and the heart of participation.” She emphasized that the strength of civil society lies in its people, who possess a sense of citizenship. In a society characterized by wisdom, love, kindness, generosity, and friendship, people can form networks with diverse partners across government, politics, academia, and the private sector. Together, these networks can brainstorm, make collective decisions, take shared actions, and enjoy mutual benefits while sharing responsibility, ultimately shaping public policy to determine the direction and future of the country.
Ms. Vesna Kerstin Petric , a representative from Slovenia stated that Slovenia has a long tradition of working with civil society organizations to better address the needs of the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. By ensuring sustainable operational and project funding, promoting cooperation between NGOs and health professionals, and involving organized youth to promote healthy lifestyles, we have generated greater trust in the society.
We have also made significant to improvements in tobacco control by working with young people and increasing access to health services, particularly preventive services, as well as cancer and Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) screening for all people, even those most vulnerable.
Looking to the future, we aim to do more institutionalize social participation. We plan to achieve this by collaborating with you-people from Thailand- to learn from your experiences, as well as from other countries. We will do this together with the WHO because we need tools and mechanisms to monitor social participation. Lastly, we must better understand how social participation impacts our health system to prove to the government that it’s worth investing.
Mr. Pascal MELIHAN-CHEININ, a representative from France higlighted that It’s really a honor to be with you and to learn so much from you prominent experience of social participation, which is really well known in the world and in France. I’m the General Secretary of the French Health Assembly, which was founded in the mid 90s. And we have quite a long experience with what we called the health democracy. And it’s a great opportunity to learn and to exchange from our experiences. And so the World Health Assembly resolution on social participation resonates so much with our French experience of the health democracy. and I I’m sure that all your works will be so effective and for the future of your country and for the future of the world.
Mr. Fernando Zasso Pigatto a represetative from Brazil stated that Brazil is engaged in social participation, in order to ensure the right to health. And to guarantee social participation makes democracy stronger, at the same time that empowering communities makes a healthier world for all.
Ms. Christina Williams, representative from WHO Youth Council stated that young people are one of the most vulnerable group affected by adverse health outcomes when we look at pandemics, epidemics, conflicts, climate change. But despite being the group or one of the groups that is mostly affected, we tend not to be included in conversations on health policy and health programs. Which is why as a part of the Youth Council, it’s our intent to work with the young people here in Thailand, across the Asian region and across the world to ensure that we’re mobilizing and leveraging the skills, experiences, and of course, the young energy to ensure that the voices, the solutions and the concerns of young people across the world are involved in the health agenda.
There can be nothing for young people without young people.
There can be no new wealth for health without young people.
Social participation must include us.
Dr. Kjeld Hansen WHO Civil Society Commission stated that the Civil Society Commission is an alliance of all the civil society organisations in the world who wants to work with the WHO and I want to extend an invitation also to tie civil society organisations to join us with the WHO to work to include more civil society perspectives.
Social participation is what we do in civil society, and I’m very proud to be here to work with our Thai partners to promote civil society and to stand together with these wonderful people to work to include social participation and implement the resolution in countries across the world. So I look forward to standing with you.
Ms. Bethany-Kate Lewis, UHC 2030 stated that UHC 2030 is a global movement to build stronger health systems for universal health coverage to support the implementation of the WHA resolution on social participation. We are committed to mobilizing governments, civil society and others to advocate for and track progress on strengthening and sustaining, regular and meaningful social participation in decision making processes across the health policy cycle at all levels of the system.
Ms. Claudia Batz , CSEM stated that we are the civil society constituents of UHC 2030 and are committed to supporting with raising awareness about the social participation resolution at the regional and country level. We will develop advocacy resources and tools and are committed to providing multi stakeholder platforms for engagement between civil society and policy makers at regional and country levels. The most marginalized communities must have a voice at decision making and decision making processes that affect our health and together we can ensure that participatory spaces continue to become more inclusive in future.
Finally WHO Regional Director for the South-East Asia, Ms Saima Wazed emphasized that Health is the real wealth for every country that is the basis of what who has been working for and what all of you are here for. And it makes me really proud to be here and to commit our and ensure that voices of people through social participation is ensured. Because, if when people are able to share their insight, their opinions, their challenges, the needs from the decision making to the implementation, that is when actual health of nation will change. You can be assured that the most marginalized, the most vulnerable voices will be heard.
Additionally, the coalition of countries supporting the resolution, in collaboration with international organizations and networks, is developing a two-year plan to advance the implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution including sharing their social participation experiences at the open space session. Theses initiatives were key topics of discussion during the Thailand National Health Assembly.
For more information https://en.nationalhealth.or.th/social-participation-for-uhc-health-and-well-being-movement-in-thailand/