WHO & ProLead

PROLEAD I: Twinning arrangement

Mongolia	ThaiHealth
Shanghai	ThaiHealth
Fiji	VicHealth
Tonga	VicHealth
Malaysia	Austrailian Center of Health Promotion
Philippines	Health Promotion Switzerland

PROLEAD 2: India, South Korea, Japan, Lebanon, Oman and Vietnam (No twinning arrangement)

Fiji

VicHealth has been working with Fiji as part of the ProLead project since early 2005, however the relationship between VicHealth and Fiji extends back much further. The twinning work as part of ProELad commenced with a visit to VicHealth from the Fijian Director of Public Health and the Director of the National Centre for Health Promotion in May 2005. A week long forum was held in Melbourne in July 2005 and consisted of a number of workshops and discussion sessions which were aimed at providing strategies to support Fiji to create legislation to establish a health promotion foundation as well as to support the new foundations in the first six to 12 months of its existence.

The week long forum provided participants with a broader view of the mechanism of a statutory authority and increased group support for the vision to formulate a quasi-independent foundation (‘the Council’). A Framework for Action was generated out of the forum, which will be reworked with input from other in-country stakeholders and then communicated to Council, the CEO of the MOH, the Minister and the Cabinet Subcommittee considering a Fijian health promotion foundation Bill.

For more information on the work in Fiji to establish a Health Promotion Foundation click here (download of Fiji ProLead poster)

Tonga

VicHealth has been working with Tonga as part of the ProLead project since early 2005, however the relationship between VicHealth and Tonga and Tonga’s quest for a Health Promotion Foundation goes back much further than the commencement of ProLead. The twinning work as part of ProLead commenced with a teleconference in April 2005 and gained momentum with a week long forum in Melbourne in July 2005 comprising representatives from Tonga and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The week consisted of a number of workshops and discussion sessions which were aimed at providing strategies to support Tonga to create legislation to establish HPFs as well as to support the new foundations in its first six to 12 months of existence.

The next steps the Tongan country team are planning include a presentation on hypothecation and the proposed foundation to the Tongan Finance Minister, further liaison with SPC on developing health promotion infrastructure and further in-country stakeholder discussion about how best to proceed with the Pro Lead organisational twinning project.

For more information on the work in Tonga to establish a Health Promotion Foundation click here (download of Tonga ProLead poster)

Shanghai, China

Shanghai has rapidly grown both in economy and social terms. People in Shanghai are facing new challenges from new illnesses especially heart disease, cancer and lungcancer. The number of people infected with HIV AIDS and the elderly are also increasing. As a result, Shanghai municipality is interested in the idea of a health promotion foundation and has set up a working group to study the feasibility of setting up the foundation. But the municipality still has no clear policy due to lack of knowledge and information.

The Shanghai working group consists of experts from health institutions and universities, a senior advisor and a legal expert. The working group is undertaking prepatory processes, studying Chinese regulations, law and registration processes.

By joining the Pro Lead program, the Shanghai working team will make an effort to lobby the Shanghai health authority, the private sector and people of Shanghai to understand the importance of a Health Promotion Foundation. The working group will also create a good network with NGOs and other experts. Funding is still the main problem for Shanghai. Shanghai needs at least 4 million Yuan a year for health promotion budget. But the real challenge to set up the foundation in Shanghai is how to communicate and build a good relationship with government.

ThaiHealth has been working with Shanghai as part of the Prolead project since early 2005. Senior representatives from ThaiHealth visited Shanghai working group and some senior government officials in May 2005. Subsequently, Shanghai working group came to ThaiHealth for a workshop during June 27 – 1 July 2005.

A week long workshop provides the working group with basic knowledge and information on how to set up a foundation. The workshop covered perspectives on building up a legislation, composition of the board and its functions, management, strategies and implementation issues. The working groups also had an opportunity to meet with ThaiHealth’s partners and had some site visits.

Mongolia

The health of Mongolians has been challenged by respiratory and cardiovascular disease related deaths caused by smoking. As a result, the Mongolian government pays much attention to health promotion and will try to establish a health promotion foundation in Mongolia.

Mongolia has joined the Pro Lead 1 program and set up a pilot project nine months ago including sharing experiences with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation. This process has even been shown on TV to raise public awareness and lobby government and experts.

Past Activities

Working group reported the progress to the Sixth Global Conference on Health Promotion that was held in Bangkok in August to share information and experiences among its members.

Develop national strategies to promote health.

Establish organizations for heath reform

Lobby politicians to approve a dedicated tax as a fund for the foundation, especially from tobacco and alcohol taxes.

Mongolia’s attempt to pass a tobacco control law failed 2 years ago. The working group worked hard to educate and gain support among government officials for the tobacco control law and dedicated funding.

ThaiHealth has been working with Shanghai as part of the Prolead project since early 2005. Senior representatives from ThaiHealth visited Mongolia working group and some senior government officials in May 2005. Subsequently, Mongolia working group came to ThaiHealth for a workshop during June 27 – 1 July 2005.

A week long workshop provides the working group with basic knowledge and information on how to set up a foundation. The workshop covered perspectives on building up a legislation, composition of the board and its functions, management, strategies and implementation issues. The working groups also had an opportunity to meet with ThaiHealth’s partners and had some site visits.

In October 2006, ThaiHealth CEO and preventatives visited Mongolia again and met with the Minister of Health, Parliament member and chairman of the Committee on Social Policy and WHO Representative. ThaiHealth and the Mongolia work group work hard and closely this time focusing on the draft legislation to be proposed to the Parliament.

Mongolia has been successful in passing legislation for tobacco control including a tobacco-tax funded health promotion foundation recently end of 2005. Mongolia’s Health Promotion Foundation will be funded from 2% of the tax on tobacco and that tobacco control is a central beneficiary of health promotion foundation establishment.

Helping Our Associate Members

Associate members are organizations or countries that are showing significant progress towards their ideal of establishing a HPF in their country or region. Full network members often provide an additional level of advice to associate members and may also visit or host delegations from these countries. This additional support is in response to the commitment associate members have made to the Network, its long term development and the development of all members.

Associate members are invited to participate in all activities of the Network from the annual meeting to the regular email discussions and teleconferences. The views of associate members are also sought on strategic and operational business of the Network. Associate members are also encouraged to work with and support each other in their quest to establish a Health Promotion Foundation and to share their experiences, successes and challenges.

See the Our Members section of our website for a listing and status report from current associate members and visit the membership section of our website for more information on how to become an associate member of the Network.