TIPH Project
Background:
The This is Public Health (TIPH) Campaign, sponsored by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), was launched in 2008 to raise awareness about the field of public health. The TIPH Global Grant Program (TIPH Global) seeks to build on the success of the original TIPH campaign and increase the visibility of public health in a region outside of the United States.
Dr R. Surenthirakumaran, Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Jaffna, submitted a proposal to the Awarder ASSPH through the South East Asian Public Health Education Network (SEAPHEIN), a member of the Global Network for Academic Public Health. Dr. Surenthirakumaran’s proposal was selected to receive a grant from the TIPH Global Grant Program.
Execution of Award
The Department of Community and Family Medicine (DCFM), University of Jaffna, has medeloped a network of eminent public health specialists and academia from across the country and globally. A main barrier to expanding this network is limited infrastructure facilities. Currently, DCFM is sharing the website of the University of Jaffna. Unavailability of a dedicated person to medelop a dynamic portal with social media platforms is identified as a limitation to reach out for advocacy, networking and training programs with public health specialists, academics, undergraduate and postgraduate trainees and other public health professionals locally, regionally and globally.
As an initial step, DCFM is planning to work with LANKAPHEIN and SEAPHEIN to improve its visibility in the regional and global arena by strengthening its office capacity by medeloping dedicated web-based platforms, social media networks, recruiting health professionals (full-time) to plan and coordinate networking activities. Given that Sri Lanka has a well-established public health system in the country leading to exceptional achievements with regard to maternal and child health and control of communicable diseases, DCFM plans to organize knowledge sharing fora in addition to training programs targeted at various categories of public health professionals, especially in the region.
Goal(s) and outcomes:
DCFM to strengthen its strategic networking focusing on public health issues via advocacy, training, and knowledge sharing involving different categories of public health professionals with a particular emphasis on Sri Lanka and the South-East Asian Region
Outcomes:
Target audience:
- Public health trainees (undergraduate and postgraduate medical and other) in Sri Lanka; and
- Other public health professionals (public health midwives, public health inspectors, health education officers and their supervisory officers) in Sri Lanka, the South-East Asian region and other regions
Activities/strategies for implementation:
- Recruiting a public health networking person on a full-time basis (a graduate with a health background);
- Developing a web-based portal linked with social media;
- Forming volunteer groups, including public health specialists, academics, different categories of public health professionals, community and social leaders and media personnel;
- Developing advocacy materials with the support of local funding for expanding regional and global networking;
- Conducting knowledge sharing fora (seminars, web-based small group discussions, and podcasts) for public health professionals in the region; and
- Conducting CPD programmes for local and regional public health professionals.
List of collaborators or partners and their role in the project:
Academic departments of public health and community medicine in faculties of medicine, the College of Community Physicians Sri Lanka, National Institute of Health Sciences Sri Lanka, Education, Training and Research Unit Ministry of Health Sri Lanka, LANKAPHEIN, South East Asian Public Health Education Network (SEAPHEIN), APACPH and GNAPH.
List of other individuals involved in the project:
Dr R.Surenthirakumaran, Senior Academic at DCFM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, and Chairman LANKAPHEIN, Executive member of SEAPHEIN, email: surenthirakumaran@gmail.com
Dr. P.A.D. Coonghe, Head DCFM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, email: dcfm@univ.jfn.ac.lk
