WHO trains future public health leaders
21 January 2015 – WHO's Leadership for Health (LfH) programme, developed in partnership with Harvard School of Public Health, aims to train future public health leaders in the Region able to effectively address local, national and global health challenges. The programme will commence this week at WHO headquarters in Geneva and runs from 23 January until 18 February 2015. Half of the participants are women.
Participants
A total of 25 participants have been enrolled in the programme. Participants were nominated by their respective ministries of health, and carefully selected by the programme's selection committee. All are mid- and senior-level health professionals from ministries of health of the Region with proven high-quality performance and clear leadership potential.
Course content
Over a period of 4 weeks, the programme will expose participants to six rigorous modules that will develop their leadership skills. Facilitators include renowned national and regional public health experts, and faculty from reputable institutions, including the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and members of the WHO secretariat from different fields. Non-conventional teaching methods will be utilized throughout the programme, including interactive discussions, debates, group work session, simulation exercises, etc. The first four modules will be taken at WHO headquarters in Geneva; they will include an introductory module on the five public health regional priorities. Participants will then be given an opportunity to observe selected sessions of the Executive Board meeting, and learn more about the work of WHO. Other modules cover communication and health diplomacy skills.
The last two modules covering health systems and leadership and management will be taken in Muscat, Oman, and will be hosted by the Ministry of Health. Harvard faculty and WHO staff will facilitate the sessions. These modules will instruct participants on how to lead change and effective reform and manage health organizations in the private and public sectors, and provide guidance on building high performing teams.
The programme, upon its completion on 18 February, will undergo careful evaluation, as it is hoped that it can be sustained over the coming years to develop a strong cadre of future public health leaders in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
