On Wednesday 26th September, 2018 a Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization sponsored workshop was held at the Community College focusing on the Strategy and Action Plan on Health Promotion in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals (2019 – 2030). The workshop engaged persons from across all sectors of Anguilla enabling wide discussions and suggestions from all areas of society. The information gathered from this and other similar workshops, from countries of the Region of the Americas would, be used to lay the foundation for renewing health promotion through a social, political and technical movement, addressing the determinants of health as a path towards sustainable development and towards reducing health inequities.
The objectives of the national consultations were:
• To involve the countries in the construction of the Strategy and Plan of Action on Health Promotion for the revitalization of the movement in the Region.
• To identify key elements that the Strategy and Plan of Action must include to support the countries on the positioning of Health Promotion.
• To collect the Health Promotion experiences in the countries that contribute to the Strategy and Plan of Action.
• To identify the role of actors involved for the implementation of the Strategy and Plan of Action.
• To support the countries in the renewal of the Health Promotion movement with the identification of a lead group at the national level.
The axis of discussions was:
1. Settings and local action
2. Intersectoral work, social determinants of health, Health in all policies, and public policies
3. Community participation and social participation for Health
4. Health systems and services
These axes of discussion reflected on important Health Promotion concepts included in the lines of action of the Ottawa Charter of 1986, and outlined in global Health Promotion pronouncements as necessary ways to advance the processes. They also constitute important achievements in favor of “health for all”, ideal raised from Alma Ata in 1978. Moreover, discussions also strengthened the progress made within the context of PAHO/WHO resolutions regarding universal access to health and universal health.
Next steps
PAHO/WHO will analyze the inputs from the countries to identify key elements to be included in the Strategy and Plan of Action. Following this, the Health Promotion team will develop a first draft which will be consulted upon with the countries of the Region of the Americas.
– Press Release
