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National Consultation on Public
Health Workforce
 A
National Consultation on Public Health Workforce was organised
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and WHO
Country Office in New Delhi
on 24-25 June 2009.
Inaugurating the meeting, Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, Regional
Director, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, lauded the efforts undertaken
by India
in the area of public health from the time of pre-Independence up to the
National Rural Health Mission.
The Regional Director
stressed the need for re-vitalization of primary health care with a focus on
strengthening public health systems, which are responsive to community needs.
He said there was also a need to examine issues around teaching of public
health as well as its practice in greater detail.
Reiterating that
strengthening of public health workforce and public health infrastructure was
a high priority for WHO, Dr Plianbangchang said WHO
would be happy to collaborate with the Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare (MOHFW) in this critical area.
 Mr
Vineet Chawdhry, Joint Secretary, Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare; Dr Shiv Lal, Special
Director-General (Public Health) MOHFW & Director, NICD; and Dr Poonam Khetrapal
Singh, Deputy Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia,
were among those present.
Mr Chawdhry
set the strategic context for the consultation which sought to provide an
opportunity to review past initiatives; share the lessons learned at the
state level; outline and address some of the challenges faced; provide inputs
and identify priority areas for coordinated action to strengthen workforce,
public health infrastructure and public health in India.
Around 180 participants from
across the country participated in the consultation. They included,
representatives from MOHFW, state governments (administrators as well as
director health services), professional associations/councils, medical
colleges, research institutions and other institutes engaged in public health
education and training; development partners and WHO.
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