1
Public Health Associations experience of influencing national public health policy and practiceStephen Knight, Waasila Jassat & Laetitia Rispel
13th World Congress on Public HealthAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
23 April 2012
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Background to Survey• Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA)– In operation for 12 years– Successes include • Holding annual conference• Relatively financially viable• Regular newsletter and webpage (http://www.phasa.org.za)• Active executive & paid secretariat
• Extensive debate in last four years on influencing public health policy nationally – Lacked resources or capacity to do so effectively– Key strategic goals
• WFPHA Conference
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Methods• Studied finding of 2011 WFPHA survey• Questionnaire prepared– Input from CPHA– Closed ended questions– Only in English and French
• Internet based• Executed by WFPHA secretariat who requested
members to complete questionnaire• Reminders sent
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Results• 20 responses– 18 English; 2 French– 17 associations ; 3 non-members
AFR; 10
SEAR; 5
EUR; 3
AMR; 1
WPR; 1
AFRSEAREURAMRWPR
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Response• In existence for
0 – 10 yrs 811 - 40 yrs 9> 40 yrs 3
• Membership numbers< 100 7100 – 999 71000 – 4999 45000+ 2
• employed staff & office space 70%
6
Organisational development
• Organised a conference 14• Skills building workshops 11• Seminars / symposia 14 • Involved in public health days 4• Newsletter 13• Electronic newsletter 10• Webpage 12
7
Organisational development
conference workshop seminar PH days newsletter e-newsletter webpage0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
14
11
14
4
13
10
12
8
Main sources of revenue
Corporate donations / sponsorship
Membership fees
Overhead from project revenues
Fund raising
Conference fees
Government
Publications
Grants
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
7
7
7
3
2
1
1
1
9
• Use of partnerships / networks / coalitions– Special interest groups 7– Non-governmental organisation 17– Other professional organisations 16– Other (youth groups, civil society orgs)
Partnerships
• Policy on engaging govt7
• Training/ manuals on policy influence 3• Dedicated policy staff 6• Who decides on policy?– Executive members – volunteer time
Policy engagement
10
Other (letter writing campaigns, journal, implementation research, demonstration projects, parliamentary committees, through coalitions)
Policy engagement
11
Through conference
Meetings with govt officials
Disseminate position papers
Meetings with politicians
Media releases
Social media
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
15
14
12
12
10
10
16
Policy Issues engaged in
Other (tobacco control, alcohol, nutrition, injury prevention, HIV, NCD prevention and control, gun control, safe injection, development assistance framework, health information through census)
Human Resources for health
Social Determinants
Millennium Development Goals
Health inequalities
Environment & health
Public Health funding
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
12
10
10
9
8
7
18
Recommendations for policy influence
• Organisational development– Working groups focused on specific public health issues– Develop advocacy skills– Maintain an independent, politically non-partisan
stance/position • Research and Knowledge sharing– Ensure evidence-informed positions on issues – Connect academics to policy making– Facilitate and support public health research– Understand who your audience is and how to
communicate with them
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Limitations• Time constraints– Short period for response– No time for piloting– Lack of Portuguese translation– Could not delve into qualitative aspects of the “art
of influence”• Poor response to questionnaire
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Conclusions• Few PHAs actively involved in policy
engagement with governments• Need to develop skills, policy and practice in this
field• Need to share experiences• Addressing resource availability for policy
influence
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Acknowledgements• Ulrich Laaser• Jim Chauvin• Laetitia Bourquin• Marta Lomazzi
