28-29 January 2014:PMAC CONFERENCE

Equity: Working beyond Customaries/Breaking Down the Boundaries/Opening New Possibilities”. The panelists invited were Rima Afifi, Harvey Fineberg, Marie-Paule Kieny, Francis Gervase Omaswa, Charas Suwanwela and Mitshiro Ushio. This plenary session aims to set the scene for the PMAC 2014 by asking these questions to expert panelists in term of what should be done and sharing their experiences with the audiences from all regions in engagement transformative learning for health equity. The plenary inspired the audiences to spend their next few days together toward the ultimate goal of transformative learning for health equity globally. The moderator asked the first question about “Do you agree with Dr.Frenk propose transformative learning model?” or “Is this model can really improve health equity” and followed by second question as “Please share great experience example or failure of your country” . The participants left this session with a great understanding on transformative learning and how it can be linked to health equity. Beyond expectation, the audiences have inspiration to move this agenda forward and contribute to the health system and health equity improvement.

After lunch, we got back to parallel session in PMAC. There are many parallel sessions in this evening and also there was one interesting session, which propose a way forward, including a research agenda on these issues. This session theme “Young and Poor, Old and Rich: Health Workforce Responses to the Economic and Demographic Transition”. In the same time, we are delighted with Dr. Walaipron Patcharanaurmol , senior researcher of IHPP, was a speaker of this session. It highlighted the experiences of countries at different stages of demographic and economic transition and the significant changes in the population age structure, health needs, and workforce profile.

Additionally, the session introduced a conceptual framework that explains the impact of the demographic transition. It followed by country cases that show how health workforce education and training strategies have responded to the changes. Dr.Walaiporn presented “Demographic and health transition: Thai health systems challenges”. In Thailand, the afford to establish the long term care (LTC) system development started through “A Strategic Plan on LTC System Development in Thailand, 2014-2018” by the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and National Health Security Office to support a right in access to needed LTC services which contributed by various sectors (targeted universalism). The local administration is one of the most important partners to manage and provide LTC services and fund for local system. There has been training for non-professional care personnel to help in LTC. The challenges for LTC implementation are not only human resources for LTC but also LTC system.

Dr.Phusit Prakongsia, Director of IHPP, went to field trip site to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital on Tuesday 28th January 2014. He used to work as doctor in rural area more than 10 years at Pratai Hospital. It is distric hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima. On Wednesday 29th January 2015 also attended the session “Looking beyond the Health Sector: Broadening Perspectives” due to his focusing on social determinants of health. He think that this session not only provides essential knowledge of social determinants of health but also identifies ways to reduce health inequities through transformative education and training of health professionals with a particular emphasis on mid level providers and the community health workforce. Looking beyond health and collaboration with health professions and non-health profession can improve the health outcomes