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You are welcome to join PMAC 2025 SIDE MEETING Unboxing Innovations for NCDs Prevention (SMB206) 29 January 2025 | 09:00-12:30 Lotus Suite 4, FL. 22
Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024 Health Promotion: A Transformative Path Towards Sustainable Health and Well-being 4-8 November, 2024 at Thai Health Center, Bangkok, Thailand Background of the workshop Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures everyone has access to essential health services without financial burden, covering everything from prevention to palliative care. Achieving UHC requires strong, efficient, and equitable health systems, with each country tailoring its approach based on population needs and available resources. Health and well-being are also influenced by social, economic, political, environmental, and commercial factors. The 21st century faces interconnected global crises like pandemics, noncommunicable diseases, economic instability, and extreme weather, which exacerbate health inequities and hinder UHC progress. Health promotion is crucial for UHC, emphasizing equitable and sustainable development and addressing health determinants for substantial health gains. The Ottawa Charter (1986) outlines five key actions for effective health promotion: building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and re-orienting health services. The 4th Thai UHC Journey Workshop, themed “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path Towards Sustainable Health and Well-being,” will take place from November 4–8, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand. Co-hosted by key health organizations in Thailand, the workshop aims to share experiences, build capacity for health promotion in low- and middle-income countries, and encourage practical applications based on participants’ contexts. Previous workshops 2021 Thai UHC Journey...
Dr. Pairoj Saonuam is in the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Noncommunicable Diseases.
Dr.Pairoj Saonuam, Deputy CEO of ThaiHealth is one of the 20 global experts on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) within the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Noncommunicable Diseases (STAG NCD). His insights and perspective will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in advancing strategies to combat NCDs, which will be used to formulate global policies and strategies for risk prevention and improve the health and well-being of communities worldwide.
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The “Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024” was jointly organized by the MOPH, ThaiHealth, the NHSO, the NHCO, and health partners, taking place under the theme: “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path towards Sustainable Health and Well-being” between November 4-8, 2024, at the ThaiHealth Center, Bangkok. Dr. Pairoj Saonuam, Deputy CEO of ThaiHealth, joined a discussion on the topic “Highlighting Health Promotion Movements in Thailand: Key Examples and Lessons.” “Thailand has a population of around 69 million. The leading causes of mortality among Thais are non- communicable diseases (NCDs) — such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases — accounting for 77% of total deaths, approximately 400,000 fatalities per year. Given this alarming figure, the country bears a significant socio-economic burden, with annual loss due to NCDs reaching $6 billion USD, equivalent to 2.2% of its GDP.” The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) jointly prioritized NCDs prevention and control among their most pressing global health agenda. This model encompasses five major NCDs – cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and mental health conditions; four biological changes, such as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised lipids, and obesity; and five major risk factors, including tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. This framework serves as a powerful tool...
The “Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024,” hosted by the MOPH, ThaiHealth, the NHSO, the NHCO, WHO-CCS EnLIGHT, IHPF and ThaiHealth Academy, centered on the theme “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path towards Sustainable Health and Well-being. ” It was held from November 4-8, 2024, at the ThaiHealth Center, Bangkok. On November 7, 2024, the workshop presented Thailand’s Digital Health initiatives aiming to improve health system and advancing well-being. • The overview was presented by Dr. Pritaporn Kingkaew, head of Research Unit at the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP). She pointed out that “Thailand’s population exceeds 71.6 million, and the country is categorized as an upper-middle-income country with GNI per capita of $6,190 USD. Additionally, it is recognized as one of the countries rapidly achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), enabling equitable access to healthcare services for all. This has ultimately contributed to an increase in average life expectancy at birth of 79 years. Notwithstanding this, the rapidly growing elderly population – accounting for 15% of the total – poses a radical challenge for the country since it may exert wide-ranging impacts on the economy, society, and public services. Simultaneously, internet usage among Thais has continued to increase exponentially, reaching 88% of the total population, which underscores the country’s complete transition into the digital age. This transformation has presented opportunities to...
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) together with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the National Health Security Office (NHSO), the National Health Commission Office (NHCO), the Enhancing Leadership in Global Health Thailand Programme (WHO-CCS EnLIGHT), the International Health Policy Program Foundation (IHPF), and the ThaiHealth Academy jointly organized the “Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024” under the theme “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path towards Sustainable Health and Well-being from November 4-8, 2024, at the ThaiHealth Center in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Prakasit Kayasith, Senior Assistant CEO and Director of Partnership and International Relations, ThaiHealth, mentioned that “Now in its fourth iteration, the Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024 aims to share lessons and experiences of Thailand’s overall health system and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with low-and middle-income countries while encouraging discussions and networking to promote health and well-being. We believe that Thailand’s experiences, best practices, and lessons in health promotion can serve as valuable knowledge for other countries. Additionally, this five-day workshop is expected to deepen understanding of health promotion, strengthen health systems, and UHC, contributing to improving health and well-being worldwide and lay the foundation for international collaboration in the years ahead.” Speaking on the theme “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path Towards Improved and More Sustainable Well-being”, Dr. Prakasit stated: “Health” was defined by WHO in 1946 as ‘a state of...
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PMAC 2025 Advocates for Healthy Active Meetings, Advancing Toward a Healthy OrganizationThe Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2025 (PMAC 2025) was held under the theme “Harnessing Technologies in an Age of AI to Build a Healthier World” from January 28 to February 2, 2025, at Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, Bangkok. The event was organized with the support and collaboration from key national and international organizations, including the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under the Royal Patronage, the Thai government, and international partners, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, USAID, JICA, the Rockefeller Foundation, and various UN agencies.At this event, the Partnership and International Relations Section of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) played a key role in co-organizing a side meeting and promoting “healthy active meetings” throughout the conference. Since 2019, the Partnership and International Relations Section and the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Section have been co-organizing healthy meetings at PMAC, reinforcing ThaiHealth’s commitment to fostering healthier conference environments.Driven by the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Section in collaboration with the Network of Fatless Belly Thais (NFBT) and multi-sectoral partners, the “healthy active meeting” concept encourages meetings that support participants’ physical and mental well-being while minimizing the risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).Beyond PMAC, ThaiHealth has actively endorsed healthy meetings in WHO SEARO under Thailand’s name, leading to...
PMAC 2025: ThaiHealth and its Partner Joined Forces to Address PM2.5 Pollution and Advocate for the Clean Air Act B.E. … for Pollution-free Air The side meeting titled “Accountability and Technological Innovations for Air Quality and Health” was co-hosted by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the Prince of Songkla University. This took place as part of the Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2025 (PMAC2025), under the overarching theme “Harnessing Technologies in an Age of AI to Build a Healthier World.” In his keynote address, Dr. Pairoj Saonuam, M.D., Deputy CEO of ThaiHealth, highlighted the PM2.5 crisis in Thailand. Specifically, in 2021, the country’s PM2.5 levels exceeded the standard limits in 65 provinces, with 44 provinces experiencing harmful levels. As a result, over 38 million people were exposed to the adverse effects of pollution. Moreover, in 2024, the number of air pollution-related illnesses reached over 12 million cases, resulting in economic losses of over 2.2 trillion baht. In addition to health and economic consequences, air pollution has threatened ecosystems, reduced biodiversity, and affected agriculture. Efforts to address PM2.5 pollution in Thailand have been driven by multi-sectoral collaboration. In particular, ThaiHealth and its multi-sectoral partners have worked together to expand knowledge on PM2.5 pollution and implemented measures, such as the establishment of a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Bangkok. They have...
PMAC 2025: ThaiHealth and its Partners Showcase Innovations for NCDs Prevention, Integrating AI into Health Promotion The side meeting on “Unboxing Innovations for NCDs Prevention”—part of the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2025, under the theme “Harnessing Technologies in an Age of AI to Build a Healthier World”—was led by Dr. Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, M.D., CEO of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth); Mr. Tay Choon Hong, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Singapore, and Chair of the International Network of Health Promotion Foundations (INHPF); Dr. Carolyn Wallace of Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth); Dr. Karthik Adapa, Regional Adviser for Digital Health at the WHO-South East Asia Regional Office; and Assoc.Prof. Wee Hwee Lin, Director of the Center for Health Intervention and Policy Evaluation Research (HIPER) at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain as a pressing global health issue. Inequitable access to prevention and treatment has exacerbated the issue. Nevertheless, technology is emerging as the key to bridging these gaps by enabling easier access to health information and empowering individuals to take an active role in managing their own health. The side meeting “Unboxing Innovations for NCDs Prevention” aimed to delve into how technology can be leveraged to promote health in disadvantaged communities by showcasing real-world examples...