Almaty welcomes world leaders of health care

Today in Almaty there was the opening of the International Conference on the primary healthcare (PHC). Conference is devoted to 30th Anniversary of Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Healthcare – one of basic documents of world system of public health services named “Great Charter of public health services of XX century”, for the first time proclaimed a principle of the equal right to health for all people.

The attendants of the Conference are General Director of World Health Organization Dr. Margaret Chan, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman, Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe Marc Danzon, Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan Anatoly Dernovoy, the President of National Academy of Nutrition of the Republic of Kazakhstan, academician Toregeldy Sharmanov, well-known scholars and practicing doctors, representatives of healthcare systems from 77 countries of the world.
The present forum of leaders of world public health services is convened to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Alma-Ata Declaration on primary healthcare signed by 136 states of the world in September, 1978 at conference of WHO/UNICEF. In this document for the first time health has been recognized as fundamental human right that maintenance should be carried out under the control as public services of social security, and civil open society. The Declaration was a threshold all over the world, having designated health as necessary component of humanity and as part of social development and in the spirit of social justice and freedom in any society. Historical recommendations of the Alma-Ata Declaration on human right on health as main value of life have unconditional recognition in all countries of the world and in its fundamental documents. The Declaration has made a fundamental basis of system of public health care of the majority of the states; its realization has allowed billions of people to have real opportunity to improve their health and to protract their lives.
As Kazakhstan Minister of Healthcare Anatoly Dernovoj has noted, during Conference the detailed analysis of activity of system of the primary health care for last three decades will be made as well as discussion of current problems in world public health and ways of the further development of the given system. Among the primary goals of Conference: discussion of availability and validity of PHC, studying of experience of the various countries in strengthening health in different social and economic environments and an exchange of the most successful experiences, development of PHC in globalization and new challenges, the analysis of further development in public health care.
During the Conference the WHO Report on public healthcare in the world for the year 2008 devoted to PHC will be presented. The situation in the world, as a whole, promotes development of primary healthcare system as mentioned in the Report. The unprecedented attention is paid to public healthcare and prospects of PHC were never estimated so bright.
The Conference devoted to 30th Anniversary of Alma-Ata Declaration of primary health care will be held on October 15–16, 2008.

For the Conference accreditation and additional information
Please contact Conference Press-center
Head of press-center Dinara Kasenova,
Phone in Almaty: +7 (727) 745–765, cell: +7 701 716 39 20
International Press Center open hours: 09–00 – 18–00 daily.

Primary Health Care and Alma-Ata Declaration of PHC of 1978

PHC is the basic level of interaction between individuals, families and communities with the health care system, provides PHC to a residence and works of people and represents the first stage of continuous process of health protection. PHC includes the following: physicians, nurses, feldsher-midwives stations, district hospitals and polyclinics, emergency stations, ambulance, centers of hygiene and epidemiology, health centers and disinfection stations,
Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978 says that primary health care, education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them; promotion of food supply and proper nutrition; an adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation; maternal and child health care, including family planning; immunization against the major infectious diseases; prevention and control of locally endemic diseases; appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries; and provision of essential drugs.
Promoting the Primary Health Care, the Alma-Ata Declaration specifies that health is defined by many factors, being outside of public health care services. The countries, achieved the most significant or sustainable development of public health care – those countries, that apply fair development on a wide basis and on the basis of multisectoral approaches. Examples of such approach can be found as in the developed countries, with a good level of health of the population, with high availability of all forms of medical services as well as in developing countries. Experience of these countries specifies that investment in social sectors, and especially in training, health care and well-being of women results in positive influence on health and the social parameters concerning all population.
The Declaration is focused on urgent national and international actions for achievement of health in the world. It has found reflection of united opinion of the world community concerning cooperation between the countries, various social and economic sectors in each separate country and between representatives of public and professional groups within the system of public health care for maintenance of good health of all people. Active realization of principles of the Alma-Ata Declaration on PHC has raised Kazakhstan authority in the world.

Speakers
Margaret Chen, General Director of the World Health Organization
Dr. Margaret Chen (People’s Republic of China) received her medical degree from the University of West Ontario, Canada. In 1978 she began working for the Ministry of Health in Hong Kong.
In 1994 Dr. Margaret Chen was appointed to the position of a Minister of Health of Hong Kong. For a 9-year period being the Minister she has created different services engaged in preventing the spread of disease and promotion of health. Dr. Chen also has taken new initiatives improving the epidemiological surveillance for infectious diseases and response, including the advanced training of specialists engaged in public health, and working partnership both locally and internationally. She also has initiated preventive measures both for bird flu attacks and SARS.
In 2003 Dr. Margaret Chen began working for the World Health Organization as a Director of the Department for Environmental Control. On June, 2005 she was appointed to the position of a Director of the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance for Infectious Diseases and Response, as well as a Representative of the General Director for pandemic influenza. On September, 2005 she began working as an Assistant of the General Director engaged in clustering infectious diseases.
On November 9, 2006 Dr. Chen was appointed to the position of General Director. Her term expires on June, 2012.

Ann Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director

Ann M. Veneman assumed the leadership of UNICEF on May 1, 2005, becoming the fifth Executive Director to lead UNICEF. Prior to joining UNICEF, Veneman served as the 27th Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005.

As the children’s agency of the United Nations, UNICEF works on the ground in more than 150 developing and transitional countries to help children survive and thrive. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for poor countries, UNICEF works to advance the Millennium Development Goals by supporting child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all, access to clean water and sanitation, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation and AIDS.

Veneman earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Davis; a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley; and a juris doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. She has also been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (2001); Lincoln University of Missouri (2003); Delaware State University (2004); and Middlebury College (2006).

Mark Danzon, Director of European Regional Bureau of WHO

On September, 1999 the Regional Bureau being the WHO governing body in European Region (consisting of 53 countries-members) nominated Dr. Mark Danzon to the position of the Director of European Regional Bureau of WHO for a 5-year term.
On February, 2000 the new Director has entered his office. On September, 2004 Dr. Danzon was elected to a second 5-year term office effecting on February 1, 2005.
Dr. Danzon became the first representative of France who was appointed to the position of a Director of one of Regional Bureaus of WHO throughout the Organization history.
Previous professional activity of Dr. Mark Danzon was connected with various spheres of public health with the following three organizations: French Committee for Public Health Education, European Regional Bureau of WHO, National Federation for Mutual Insurance Societies of France.
Mirta Roses, Co-chairman of Global Working Group for Activating Primary Healthcare Services, Director of Regional Bureau for America Countries

Dr Mirta Roses Periago from Argentina received her medical degree from the National University of Córdoba in 1969, obtaining a diploma in public health with a specialization in epidemiology and a certificate of specialization in infectious diseases from the University of Buenos Aires. She also studied tropical medicine at Bahía State Federal University in Brazil.
She joined the Pan American Health Organization / World? Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in 1984 as coordinator of the Epidemiology Unit of the Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC) in Trinidad and Tobago.

Dernovoi Anatoly Grigoryevich, Minister of Health of Republic of Kazakhstan
Year of birth: 1951. Dernovoi Anatoly Grigoryevich graduated from Karaganda Medical Institute. Candidate of Medical Science, Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Working as a Head of SES Department, sanitary inspector of Kirov District – Taldykorgan Oblast, Chief State Medical Officer of Almaty Oblast. He also held positions with State Administration Bodies, served as a Deputy Minister of Health – Chief State Medical Officer of the Republic.
Since December, 1996 – working as a Head of Medical Center of the Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since September, 2006 – Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.