Follow-up Activities of the 1st China USA Medicine and Public Health Initiative Conference

Dr. Wang Debing

Background of the Conference

Awareness of negative effects of the schisim of medicine and public health

International actions to combine medicine and public health, for example, the US MPHI

Lessons learned from SARS

Summary of the conference

Held from 23 to 24 September, 2004 Organized by CPMA, AMUCC, and USA MPHI Sponsored by China Medical Board Supported by Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education Co-organized by CMA, CMDA, PUHSC, China CDC, and CUHSC Participated by around 200 experts or professionals

in medicine or public health field

Dr. Glasser addressed at the Opening Ceremony

VIP Participants of the Conference

The Proceeding of the Conference

Achievement of the Conference

Great attention paid by high-rank leaders, such as Dr. Han Qide, the vice chairmen of the Standing Committee, NPC, and the vice ministers of the ministries of health and education, etc.

Consensus reached by all the attendees that the necessity of taking action to heal the schism of medicine and public health

Outcome document: Call to Action for the China USA Medicine and Public Health Initiative

Impact of the Conference

Raise awareness of policy-makers and health professionals

Set up a benchmark for efforts to combine medicine and public health to promote population health through health profession alliances in education, applied research and community programs

Establish guidance for next steps to face challenges in population health

Action 1 Improve the publicity of China USA MPHI (1)

The Ministry of Health put great significance on this conference not only by the vice minister’s attendance of the conference as a grand gesture, but also by editing a comprehensive minutes of the conference and delivering it to the ministers of MOH and circulating it within the health sector in China. It was done in the timely manner because the minutes was printed out on 10 October 2004, just two weeks after the conference.

Action 1 Improve the publicity of China USA MPHI (2)

An Editorial on Healing the Schisim: Medicine and Public Health was published on “Health” on the version of 13 October 2004, which is a prestigious national health newspaper in China.

--Many ideas and examples were quoted from the Conference.

--Very good publicity of MPHI because of the newspaper’s huge circulation.

Action 1 Improve the publicity of China USA MPHI (3)

The conference Minutes was published on Chinese Journal of Public Health in the issue of December 2004. It introduced the Conference from different angles, more in the academic discussion aspect .

Action 1 Strength the publicity of China USA MPHI (4)

MPHI has also been advocated through different channels:

--- Many senior leaders and experts in health or education often quote from the Conference and emphasize the importance of MPHI in many occasions.

--- China Preventive Medicine Association has distributed the Call to Action for China USA MPHI in a variety of national meetings.

--- The broad dissemination of the Proceeding of the Conference.

Action 2Set up long-term Mechanism for

China USA MPHI

To establish National Advisory committee on MPHI, potentially participated by members of PU, PUMC, CPMA, CMA,and China CDC ,etc, to provide guidance for actions and coordinate MPHI programs in China.

Enhancing communication and exchange with international and domestic organization and institutes.

Action 3Develop activities of China USA MPHI

Identify priorities for MPHI projects in China

Planning MPHI demonstration project:Public

Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke --working with Dr. Glasser on drafting proposal --Field visits by Dr. Glasser to Hangzhou, zhejiang

Province, and Lanzhou, Gansu province for potential sites for the said project and for better understanding of health status in China.

Dr. Glasser at one community health center in Hangzhou

Dr. Glasser was welcomed by local health officials in Hangzhou

Action 3Develop activities of China USA MPHI

MPHI Seminar or workshops to approach MPHI

practice and share experience --On Public Health Education Reform held in September 2005,

organized by Peking University Medical Science Center, university educators and health officers discussed how to integrate health education with medicine.

--The Seminar on Integration of Medicine and Public Health--Community Health Care Service,sponsored by Beijing Docheng District Health Bureau, supported by CPMA, will be held in November, 2005.

CPMA’s efforts for MPHI

Infrastructure adjustment for the continuation of MPHI--

---strengthen leadership for MPHI activities ---more staff available for MPHI programs ---provide fixed fund for planning activities

Working closely with provincial or local public health association on MPHI demonstration projects