The Covid-19 pandemic has taught many countries a lesson that incongruity would not be going to help anyone, it is for every stakeholder of the public health system who has to come forward and contribute so that lives, at large, could be sustained. To kickstart it, the Ministry of External Affairs chose the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh to initiate a five-day 9th E-International Public Health Management Development Program (IPHMDP) in support with Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program, from 12 to 16 July through an online platform.
This program aims to enhance the strength of the public health system, its skills and competencies of middle and senior-level program managers for addressing public health challenges like the public system had faced during the Covid-19 pandemic and strengthening the efficiency of organisations in resource-constrained settings.
The first day had sessions on Understanding health systems by PGIMER Prof Dr Sonu Goel and Dr Chandrakant Lahariya from World Health Organisation; Introduction to public health management and status of public health management in globe and India by Dr Preethi John, Dean, Chitkara School of Health Sciences, Punjab and Dr Sanjay Zodpey, Vice President — Academics, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), New Delhi. A total of 117 senior-level participants from 33 countries registered for this program. Khali Elmusharaf, Director of Public Health, Masters Program, University of Limerick, appreciated the program. He believes that such programs are needed as there is a huge gap between leadership and management in public health professionals worldwide. He reiterated the program’s importance which will help the public health professionals to climb the management ladder and take their careers to greater positions.
Maj Gen (Prof) Atul Kotwal SM, VSM, Executive Director, NHSRC, praised the Ministry for choosing PGIMER as the organising institute for such an important program as the health system is evolving and getting more complicated, such programs act as a boon which enables the public health professionals to understand the building blocks of public health management, he added.
Further, Dr Sanjiv Kumar, Chairperson, Indian Academy of Public Health, New Delhi, shared his gratitude to be a part of this program for five years and appreciated the PGIMER for showcasing the improved version of the program. He said that this program brings a unique style of teaching, including case studies and exercises, which ultimately help participants learn different strategies to address public health problems in respective countries.