May 28, 2021 — The UP College of Public Health (CPH) and British Embassy Manila  COVID-19 Learning Webinar series, launched in September 2020 that engaged over 10,000 attendees and live stream views, ended on the 16th episode with high-level representatives discussing how higher education institutions (HEIs) can develop strategies to achieve better health outcomes aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals amid the current pandemic.

The event presented the perspectives from the University of the Philippines Manila, Department of Health, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), British Embassy Manila, World Health Organization, and the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium of Public Health (APACPH).

UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla acknowledged the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on higher education but which also led the university to reconfigure how to educate its students, continue conducting cutting-edge research, and provide relevant training programs. She commended the CPH and its partners for continuously providing a platform for collective and integrated action to respond to much-needed innovations in health education. 

Ambassador Daniel Pruce of British Embassy Manila reiterated UK’s  partnership with UP-CPH which has strengthened linkages between academia and public health stakeholders. Through this partnership, channels were created for shared learning and approach recalibration in order to contribute more directly to pandemic response. “We are encouraged by the wider participation of academia, represented by HEIs across the Philippines convened by UP,” he added.  

Health Undersecretary Dr. Mario C. Villaverde presented the health-related SDGs in the Philippines and the current response and action points for public health higher education. Among the endeavors implemented by the DOH together with public health stakeholders to achieve SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being Goal) are: FOURmula One Plus for Health Strategy Map, the National Objectives for Health 2017-2022, the enactment of the UHC Act and signing of its implementing rules and regulations, development of the National Health Resource Masterplan, the National Health Workforce Support System, expansion of scholarship and training programs to increase the needed number of healthcare professionals, and certification of primary care workers among others. Dr. Villaverde strongly encouraged the HEIs to incorporate primary care in the health professional curricula which includes the alignment of the degree and executive courses to the needs of our health systems.

Presenting the “Next Steps in Public Health Higher Education”, CHED announced that it has adopted a policy that will allow flexible learning to continue in 2021 and thereafter. This is according to its Chairperson Dr. Prospero De Vera III who explained that going back to the traditional face-to-face classes would mean running the risk of exposing our educational stakeholders to the same risks if another pandemic comes in. Moreover, all the investments in technology, teacher training, and the retrofitting of facilities would only be wasted if the old setup is reinstituted.

Discussing the gaps and challenges in public health education to achieve the SDGs for the country, CPH Dean Vicente Belizario Jr. identified the absence of a uniform competency framework for public health practice since none of the public health degree programs are governed by a CHED Memorandum Order. The profession of public health is not being regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission, there is no professional Public Health society that regulates the specialty, and no database that tracks graduates in Public Health. 

Dr. Belizario expressed the importance of the 4Cs as opportunities to narrow the gaps: capacity building, research/generating evidence, and public service; multidisciplinary collaboration or the crucial role of public health experts working with other experts and consensus; and communication/communicating with policymakers, service providers, people in communities, and partners.

Finally, Dr. Rebecca Shah, Political Counsellor of British Embassy Manila enumerated diverse UK-PH collaborations that are directly and indirectly related to health education, more notably the four-part series on vaccines which enabled dialogue on vaccine procurement, administration, risk communication, and vaccine hesitancy. “Looking back, our cooperation is already broad, deep, and strong. Looking ahead, COVID-19 will continue to test our resolve in international cooperation and collaboration. Our shared approach will continue to emphasize the importance of working together and our ambition to strengthen UK-Philippines partnership as a force for good.” 

Also in the forum were Dr. Wah-Yun Low, APACPH President; Dr. Ma. Frieda Hapan, Chair, CHED Technical Committee on Medical Technology Education; and Dr. Florante Trinidad, WHO National Professional Officer.  The full recording of the webinar can be viewed here.

Anne Marie Alto  |  Published in UP Manila Healthscape Special COVID-19 Issue No. 29