Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Government of Punjab celebrates a milestone as Punjab Public Health Agency's (PPHA) technical application was reviewed at the General Assembly meeting of International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) where its membership was approved after voting by the designated members of 82 countries. Furthermore, the PPHA was also asked to serve as the Secretariat for IANPHI Asia Chapter, which is an honor for Punjab.
The International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA is an organization of over 100 member organizations from 93 countries that prioritizes public health for 5 billion people on 6 continents. The core purpose of IANPHI is to link and strengthen government agencies responsible for public health by leveraging experience and expertise to build robust health systems. By focusing on larger public health challenges affecting member countries, harnessing the power of scientific evidence, and implementing strategic policies, IANPHI has become the go to resource for disease surveillance, detection and monitoring, outbreak investigation and control, health information analysis, research, training, health education and laboratory science.
Recognizing the rationale and scope of Punjab Public Health Agency, the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), accredited PPHA as an IANPHI Associate Member. With this announcement, Pakistan solidifies its place among countries with established public health institutes. The announcement came as over 200 public health leaders from around the world met in Rome, Italy for the annual IANPHI meeting on Tuesday.
This meeting serves as a unique platform for public health practitioners to exchange ideas and share strategies for collaboration in order to promote public health around the world. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Shabnum Sarfraz Chief Executive Officer Punjab Public Health Agency, described the membership of PPHA as a major public health milestone in the history of Punjab and Pakistan. She thanked the International Association of National Public Health Institute for their acceptance and support towards establishing Punjab Public Health Agency as the public health advocate for the 110 million people of Punjab.
International Association of National Public Health Institutes President, Mauricio Hernandez-Avila expressed his delight and congratulated the Pakistan team on securing successful award of membership to the Punjab Public Health Agency. The aspired mandate of the PPHA was shared with the august audience as Dr. Shabnum Sarfraz apprised them about Punjab's focus on public health reforms. She appreciated the ongoing collaboration with public health institutes in Turkey and England, as concerted efforts are required for addressing health challenges in the Punjab. IANPHI members offered full support and cooperation towards the establishment and advancement of Punjab Public Health Agency.