HIA in ASEAN Network

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was officially introduced to ASEAN community since 2010. ASEAN assigned Thailand as a lead country to build capacity and advocate HIA for ASEAN members. Form 2010-2014 was a phase of setting up ASEAN focal point on HIA which compose of representative of ministry of public health and universities sector. During this phase, the experiences of HIA application from different countries were shared to build mutual understanding of HIA. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was officially introduced to ASEAN community since 2010. ASEAN assigned Thailand as a lead country to build capacity and advocate HIA for ASEAN members. Form 2010-2014 was a phase of setting up ASEAN focal point on HIA which compose of representative of ministry of public health and universities sector. During this phase, the experiences of HIA application from different countries were shared to build mutual understanding of HIA.

From 2015 onward, the ASEAN focal points on HIA have realized the limited workforce on HIA and agreed to empower and build capacity of planners, academia, health personnel, civil societies and investors on HIA. This is the phase of demonstrating HIA application through on-the-job trainings, joint projects, workshops, trainings or meetings.

Movement of HIA in ASEAN 
2009 – The Asia Pacific Health Impact Assessment conference, Thailand. One of the recommendations from the conference was to drive HIA into ASEAN.
2010 – ASEAN Senior Officials adopted HIA as one of working areas.
2012 – The 1st workshop on Health Impact Assessment for ASEAN in Thailand, entitle Understanding HIA : A Foundation for the well being of the ASEAN Community, was aimed to develop the TOR of the HIA Focal Point and HIA  framework for ASEAN

– The 2nd workshop on Health Impact Assessment for ASEAN in Thailand, entitle Constructing a Caring and Sharing Community : The Role of HIA, was aimed to develop the workplan of HIA.

– Finally the TOR of the HIA Focal Point,  the HIA framework and the workplan were adopted at the senior official meeting of health development .

2015 –  The 1st ASEAN Conference Impact Assessment under the theme of Impact Assessment and Mitigation towards ASEAN Engagement and Sustainable Development was held in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. HIA workforce was raised as a critical concern.

2016 – Environmental Health was combined with HIA and was addressed as health priority 11 of ASEAN Health Cluster 2 : responding of all hazards and emerging threats.
2017 – ASEAN Conference on Health Impact Assessment under the theme “Health Impact Assessment : Towards ASEAN Engagement and Sustainable Development”, Vietnam

– The work programme of Environmental Health and HIA (2016 – 2020) was adopted at the meeting ASEAN Health Cluster 2 : responding of all hazards and emerging threats