Members of the Global Network for Academic Public Health have recently returned to their respective countries after taking part in the immensely productive and successful World Congress on Public Health in Cape town, South Africa, September 6th-9th.
Five representatives of our regional associations shared a platform on September 7th, celebrating our successes. This included the 85-year anniversary of ASPPH and 80 years of ASPHER. Our President, John Middleton, will be reflecting more fully on these reasons to be cheerful, to take heart and celebrate.
GNAPH members were prominent in major theme areas of the congress, particularly workforce development, training and education, competency and curriculum; the public health role in prevention response and recovery from violence and conflict; ethics and law, the impact of geopolitics on health; and partnership development with other global health organisations. There were powerful presentations from South America, Africa and Asian contributors. Indigenous health insights were profound and impactful throughout the congress. Further GNAPH reflections on these themes and its presence at the congress will be shared in the coming weeks. For a broader reflection on the major themes and takeaways from the 18th World Congress on Public Health, read WFPHA’s post-Congress reflection, “What Cape Town Asked Us to Change.”
The congress was a platform for us to launch the Global Public Health Alliance. This brings us together with the World Federation of Public Health Associations and the International Association of National Public Health Institutions, representing between us national public health associations and national institutes in over 120 countries and over 500 schools and programmes of public health. Between us we cover some 5 million workers in public health – for service, advocacy, teaching and research.
