Global public health charter calls for added prevention and promotion

A Global Charter for the public’s health has called for new leaders in public health and for the engagement of public health in significant decision-making processes.

“Health protection, prevention and promotion need to be strengthened along with a number of enabler functions such as good governance, more effective public health advocacy, and capacity building,” the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM) said in a press statement to describe the charter, which will be launched during this year’s World Health Assembly on the 23rd of May 2016.

The MAPHM is a member organisation of the European Public Health Association and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA)

“This is the beginning of a process embracing the conceptualization of global public health and the development of strategic capacities for all professionals that will be part of a new health era, more dedicated to preventive solutions,” the WFPHA said about the charter.

The MAPHM said that the charter also recognises public health as the essence of everyday life, which is crucial for social development, equity and stability.

“It takes into account the new challenges emanating from globalisation with increasingly faster flows of goods, services, finance, people and ideas across international borders, recognising that globalisation can have both positive and negative impacts on health.”

The charter further calls on governments to take into account the impact of social, psychological and environmental health determinants, including economic constraints, living conditions, demographic changes and unhealthy lifestyles.

“This is an echo of some of the key points of the World Health Organisation’s European policy framework Health 2020, which calls on government ministers of health to become leaders in health, working and advocating for the improvement of health through a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.”