Strengthening public health policy and practice: Horizontal collaboration on the establishment of a national taks force

Abstract

The South-East Asia Public Health Initiative (‎PHI)‎: 2004-2008 was launched in 2004 with the aim of long-term strengthening of the overall public health infrastructure, services and management within the broader context of health system development. In an effort to gain high-level political commitment, the issue was placed on the agenda of the Twenty-third Meeting of Ministers of Health in September 2005. This resulted in the important recommendation that: "A National Public Health Task Force should be set up to oversee the developments in 'public good' functions." Another meeting was held from 1-3 November 2006, in Bangkok, to follow up on the recommendation. This meeting agreed that the "task force" should be renamed to reflect its high priority and long-term nature. The situation in individual countries also needed to be taken into account, for example, whether an existing entity could be strengthened, or whether a new one would be required. The main conclusion was that this entity should be placed at the highest national level, making public health development a key national priority. Further recommendations were made on its nature, membership, functions and terms of reference. Particular attention was devoted to the issue of accountability, and possible indicators were also explored.