Merci Michel for having circulated this resolution.
While I don't share Donald's (narrow) vision of health promotion (health
education?), I do agree that the resolution remains altogether too vague
unless it at least attempts to indicate what is meant by "empowerment",
"community capacity", "partnership", a settings approach to health
promotion, and other such key terms (including health itself). Without
this, the resolution becomes, I think, altogether too maleable and
platitudinous potentially legitimating rhetoric for a host of practices
which we might well not support. I would also have liked to see a stronger
focus on social justice and on economic disparities (gap b/n rich and poor)
as key determinants of health.
Blake Poland
Public Health Sciences
University of Toronto
At 8:38 1/29/98 -0500, Michel O'Neill wrote:
>Sorry for cross-postings.
>
>As it is very short when reformated, as not everyone will have the patience
>to go on either the WHO website or other websites where it has been posted,
>and as it is likely to have a major impact (think about Health for All, for
>instance) if it is adopted by the World Health Assembly and due to the
>context of a parallel resolution of WHO executive board for a new Director
>General (Gro Harlem Bruntland, from Norway), who is in my view likely to be
>a very strong ally for health promotion, I thought appropriate to circulate
>the resolution below downloaded from Bo Haglund's website in Sweden. Ilona
>Kickbusch rides again !!!
>
>
>
>****
>RESOLUTION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE WHO
>
>A resolution on Health Promotion based on the Jakarta Declaration has been
>adopted by WHOs Executive Board in its meeting in the 28th of January 1998
>(101st session). It will be forwarded to this years World Health Assembly
>in May. It is the first ever such resolution on health promotion.
>
>
>
>Fro>From the 101st Session EB101.R8, Agenda item 9, 24 January 1998, Health
>Promotion ,
>
>The Executive Board,
>
>Having considered the report of the Director-General on health promotion,
>RECOMMENDS to the Fifty-first World Health Assembly the adoption of the
>following Resolution:
>
>The Fifty-first World Health Assembly,
>
>Recalling Resolution WHA42.44 on health promotion, public information and
>education for health and the outcome of the four international conferences
>on health promotion (Ottawa,1986; Adelaide, 1988; Sundsvall, Sweden 1991;
>Jakarta 1997);
>
>Recognizing that the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion has been a
>worldwide source of guidance and inspiration for health promotion
>development through its five essential strategies to build healthy public
>policy, create supportive environments, strengthen community action,
>develop personal skills, and reorient health services;
>
>Mindful that there is now clear evidence that: (1) comprehensive approaches
>that use combinations of the five strategies are the most effective; (2)
>certain settings offer practical opportunities for the implementation of
>comprehensive strategies, such as cities, islands, local communities,
>markets, schools, workplaces, and health facilities; (3) people have to be
>at the centre of health promotion action and decision-making processes if
>they are to be effective; (4) access to education and information is
>essential in achieving effective participation and the "empowerment" of
>people and communities; (5) health promotion is a "key investment" and an
>essential element of health development;
>
>Mindful of the new challenges and determinants of health and that new forms
>of action are needed to free the potential for health promotion in many
>sectors of society, among local communities, and within families, using an
>approach based on sound evidence where feasible;
>
>Appreciating that there is a clear need to break through traditional
>boundaries within government sectors, between governmental and
>nongovernmental organizations, and between the public and private sectors;
>
>Confirming the priorities set out in the Jakarta Declaration for Health
>Promotion in the Twenty-first Century,
>
>1. URGES all Member States:
>(a) to promote social responsibility for health;
>(b) to increase investments for health development;
>(c) to consolidate and expand "partnerships for health";
>(d) to increase community capacity and "empower" the individual in matters
>of health;
>(e) to secure an infrastructure for health promotion;
>
>2. CALLS ON organizations of the United Nations system, intergovernmental
>and nongovernmental organizations and foundations, donors and the
>international community as a whole:
>(a) to mobilize Member States and assist them to implement these strategies;
>(b) to form global health promotion networks;
>
>3. CALLS ON the Director-General:
>(a) to enhance the Organizationīs capacity with that of the Member States
>to foster the development of health promoting cities, islands, local
>communities, markets, schools, workplaces, and health facilities;
>(b) to implement strategies for health promotion throughout the life span
>with particular attention to the vulnerable groups;
>
>4. REQUESTS the Director-General:
>(a) to take the lead in establishing an alliance for global health
>promotion and in enabling Member States to implement the Jakarta
>Declaration;
>(b) to support the development of health promotion within the Organization.
>
>
>*************
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Une tres bonne journee.
>
>Michel O'Neill, Ph.D.
>
>**************************************************************************
>Professeur titulaire et Codirecteur, Groupe de recherche et d'intervention
>en promotion de la sante (GRIPSUL), Faculte des Sciences infirmieres,
>4108-J Pavillon Comtois, Universite Laval, Quebec, Qc, Canada, G1K 7P4.
>tel: +1-(418)-656-2131 #7431; telecopieur: +1-(418)-656-7747
>Courrier electronique: [log in to unmask]
>
>Codirecteur, Centre quebecois collaborateur de l'OMS pour le developpement
>de villes et villages en sante / Quebec WHO Collaborating Center for the
>development of healthy cities and towns,
>2400 D'estimauville, Beauport, Qc, Canada, G1E 7G9.
>tel: +1-(418)-666-7000 #461; telecopieur: +1-(418)-666-2776
>Courrier electronique:[log in to unmask]
>**************************************************************************
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