As part of the national university and as the SEAMEO TROPMED Regional Centre for Public Health, the UP College of Public Health (CPH) has established partnerships with global health organizations and stakeholders towards health systems strengthening. One such partner is the British Embassy Manila, with which the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last 15 September 2020. This event was hosted virtually by CPH and attended by Her Majesty’s Ambassador Daniel Pruce, UPM Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, and CPH Dean Vicente Y. Belizario, Jr.
During this virtual ceremony, Dean Belizario highlighted CPH’s role in shaping leaders in public health which goes back to its establishment as a training institution for executives and professionals working in the Department of Health; and which would be further strengthened as the academic partner of the British Government’s Better Health Programme (BHP) in the Philippines. Chancellor Padilla highlighted the importance of, “guaranteeing that our public health workers do not lose sight of equally important health concerns, such as vaccine preventable diseases, non-communicable diseases, environmental and occupational health, among others; that if left unattended, would further cripple the public health system that is already affected by the pandemic.”
Ambassador Pruce remarked that the partnership between UP Manila and the British Embassy Manila is a manifestation of the United Kingdom’s strong relations with the Philippines and its global commitment to facilitate knowledge sharing and improving public health through its BHP. The BHP is a set of initiatives co-organized by the British Government and eight partner countries aimed towards inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty through improved public health.
The MOU signing ceremony also coincided with the launch of a webinar series entitled, Public Health in the Time of COVID-19 and the New Normal: A Webinar Series for Public Health Workers. The series aims to provide a venue for discussing public health program updates, challenges, and good practices amid the current pandemic and beyond; in line with Universal Health Care and the Sustainable Development Goals. The inaugural webinar entitled, “COVID-19 in the Asia Pacific Region: Moving Forward Amidst Challenges in Public Health” will be on 8 October 2020. Interested attendees are encouraged to watch out for announcements on how to register for the webinar series. The webinars will also be streamed live through the CPH social media page (fb.me/upcph). The series is expected to run from September 2020 to March 2021.
Dr. Jaifred C. F. Lopez and Maria Vianca Jasmin C. Anglo | Published in Healthscape Special COVID-19 Issue No. 17
