HIA 2008 Chiangmai

Regional Health Center 3 under Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, which is responsible for 8 provinces in Eastern and Central Thailand, has continued its mission in strengthening the capacities of public health and civil society sectors in undertaking Health Impact Assessment.

In collaboration with Healthy Public Policy Foundation, the center has created the project on “HIA Network Capacity Building” for 40 participants from public health and civil society sectors in Chachoengsao Province. It is expected that, after the workshop, the participants will understand the concepts and application of HIA for preventing and solving the impacts from public policies and creating healthy alternatives. The workshop was conducted through brainstorming and designing HIA approaches in 3 different case studies, namely, large power plant project in Bang Kla and Phanom Sarakaam Districts, industrial development in Bang Pakong District, and chicken farms’ problem in Sanam Chayakhet District.

In addition, several other activities will be carried out following this workshop, which include: HIA learning-by-doing in above cases, health impact information sharing, and the participation and presentation in the HIA 2008 Conference, which will be held during December 8-10, 2008 in Chiang Mai province and is a multi-level learning opportunity that links between the local, the national, and the international.

The participants were, however, concerned with financial constraints, and some possible funding sources were mentioned including local administrative organizations, national health committee in Chachoengsao, and local academics who may have set funds for usual attendance in academic conferences. The most important things are a prospect for future work and an opportunity of local sectors to take part and utilize what they learn in an international conference for the benefits of their communities.

Posted: 10/10/08