The South East Asian Public Health Educational Institutes Network (SEAPHEIN) exists to facilitate collaboration among its memberinstitutions and to systematically coordinate efforts to develop a process of strengthening capability throughout the region. SEAPHEIN promotes technical activities, including educational system reform, workforce development and collaborative research between and among network members. Specifically the network undertakes activities to develop training partnerships between member institutions, promote novel approaches education/training program provision, standardize curricula and assist in the development of country plans and strategies. These efforts enhance national, regional and international involvement in the activities of public health institutions and subsequently, result in strengthened public health education and networking in the region.

Objectives: The Network seeks to share its resources in order to achieve the following eight objectives:

1. To make public health education programs relevant to meet the health challenges of individual countries in the region
2. To facilitate the development of health information systems in all countries
3. To establish collaborative programs in education and training
4. To provide evidence-based and new knowledge through research
5. To strengthen the capacity of members through faculty and student exchanges and exchanges of information, learning materials and methods
6. To facilitate the implementation of accreditation programs in public health education
7. To provide consultation, and to advocate and provide technical advice to improve the national public health programs of member countries
8. To promote leadership development in public health

            Over the 3 years the network has been active, it has successfully met its objectives by carrying out training sessions, workshops, faculty and student exchanges and collaborative projects including research in Avian influenza. Communication channels, including a quarterly newsletter and a website, have been developed. The network has also drafted and adopted regional guidelines for Public Health standards and accreditation, which member institutes are implementing.

Background:

            Human resources are the cornerstone of any health system. Competent, standardized education provides the framework for the development and provision of high quality, efficient healthcare across all levels. The close relationship between a qualified, well-trained health workforce and the achievement of key health outcomes is well recognized. Ideally, public health professionals provide the care and leadership required for health development. Unfortunately, it has long been recognized that this is not always the case. Lack of resources, insufficient political commitment/leadership along with inadequate training and less than optimal motivation, compounded by deteriorating infrastructure considerably limit the gains possible. The World Health Assembly has, for some time, highlighted this growing crisis and specifically emphasized the need to address issues related to the training and management of the healthcare workforce to further health development.

It is not simply a question of providing greater numbers of staff. New challenges for the public health workforce continue to emerge and evolve. Thus, there is a need to address the growing burden of chronic illnesses while maintaining communicable disease surveillance and control programs. Globalization, technological advances, climate change, disasters, population shifts, emerging and re-emerging diseases and the continuing shortage of health care providers all pose serious implications for health education and care in the region. Additionally, the healthcare workforce must cope with technological developments and rising expectations of populations. These pressures are compounded by shortages of qualified staff, a lack of highly skilled personnel, and imbalances in distribution and ineffective workforce management. The
need for quality, standardized and accredited education and training programs has never been greater.

            The South East Asian Public Health Education Institutes Network (SEAPHEIN) arose as a strategy to strengthen the capacity to develop a skilled, fully qualified healthcare workforce in the region. As many countries in the region share similar public health challenges and difficulties, collaboration to develop, coordinate and review strategies is an efficient and effective way to optimize limited resources.

Chronology:

            December 1999: The Calcutta Declaration on Public Health called for countries to promote public health as a discipline; to recognize the leadership role of public health institutions in formulating and implementing evidence-based public health policies, to create a supportive environment enhancing social responsibility, to advocate the increase of human and financial resources for health; to strengthen public health by creating career structure; and to strengthen and reform public health education, training and research. It noted that capacity building among public health education institutes was inadequate but was urgently needed in the region. If the recommendations of the declaration were to be met, it was recognized that capacity building had to be systematically strengthened.

January 2002: At a WHO Regional Consultation held in Chennai, India, delegates proposed a public health institute network for the accreditation of public health education institutes. November 2002: Participants at a WHO Regional Program in Bandung, Indonesia, recommended setting up a public health institute network to standardize curricula.

February 2003: In New Delhi, delegates at a WHO Regional Consultation suggested that intra and inter-country public health institute networks be created. December 2003: These ideas came together and representatives attending a WHO Regional proposed that the South East Asian Public Health Education Network (SEAPHEIN) be established.

April 2004: Supported by WHO/SEARO, an international forum to develop SEAPHEIN was hosted by the Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University. During this meeting, public health institutions from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand explored the benefits of networking and shared capacity building. In addition to a number of Memorandums of Understanding being signed, a framework for the network of regional public health education institutions was drafted.

SEAPHEIN was officially launched on 7 April 2004 with 35 Public Health Education Institute Members from the following countries.

• Bangladesh 2
• India 4
• Indonesia 5
• Myanmar 2
• Nepal 1
• Sri Lanka 2
• Vietnam 3
• Thailand 16

*Since then the network has increased, and at the 5th Annual Meeting in October 2009 the total number of SEAPHEIN member institutes was 56 from 13 countries.

Where next?

             SEAPHEIN has already made considerable headway in promoting quality control measures in healthcare training with the drafting and adoption of the Regional Guidelines for Public Health Standards and Accreditation, as well as acting to ensure that the training curricula as well as on-the-job training is relevant to the existing local and national health care needs.

             Nevertheless, much remains to be done to ensure quality throughout public health education and training. There is a need for improved strategic coordination to ensure that education programs meet the needs of member countries, stronger communication channels to facilitate knowledge and skill sharing, and greater support for systematic continuing education/training programs for healthcare workers and workforce-related research to identify and address knowledge gaps and enhance health workforce planning. Additionally, the Public Health Standards and Accreditation processes underway must monitored and evaluated.

             Mobilization of resources remains a major challenge. Further attention must also be given to developing training partnerships. Global and regional co-operation and collaboration could play an active role in assisting member countries in health workforce development and to improve their long-term sustainability. Building on the diversity and strengths of its 50-plus member institutions in the region, SEAPHEIN must continue to facilitate sharing of knowledge, experience and best practices within the network, the region and beyond.

SEAPHEIN’s Charter

Name:
The South-East Asian Public Health Education Institute Network is the official name of this organization and is referred to in this Charter as SEAPHEIN.

Purpose:
The following definitions were officially adopted on 7 April 2004 by SEAPHEIN members at the international forum in Bangkok, Thailand

- Vision
To be a collaborative network of Public Health Education Institutes in the SE Asian region for strengthening public health capacity

- Mission
To collaborate with SE Asian member countries in partnerships to improve and sustain the quality and relevance of public health education to address the increasing challenges of health improvement

Objectives
The network seeks to share its resources in order to achieve the following eight objectives:
1. To make public health education programs relevant to meet the health challenges of individual countries in the region
2. To facilitate the development of health information systems in all countries
3. To establish collaborative programs in education and training
4. To provide evidence-based and new knowledge through research
5. To strengthen the capacity of members through faculty and student exchanges and exchanges of information, learning materials and methods
6. To facilitate the implementation of accreditation programs in public health education
7. To provide consultations and technical advice to improve national public health programs of member countries
8. To promote leadership development in public health

Strategies
The general strategies of the network include:
1. The development of curricula and continuing education programs, re-orient learning methods and conduct research to refine curricula
2. Create information systems in line with educational needs
3. Form partnerships and assign focal points among public health institutes, strengthen existing programs including searching and learning materials and establish regional MPH programs
4. Maintain an epidemiological database, prioritize and conduct cross-country research and build a comprehensive capacity among stakeholders in all stages of research
5. Institutionalize programs for capacity building, build an inventory of available resources and learning material resources and identify needs for staff and student exchange
6. Develop institutional accreditation mechanisms by establishing a regional accreditation council and devise strengthening strategies
7. Organize consultations in priority areas of public health programs and health care
8. Promote leadership and management skills at national, state and district levels and generate learning organizations

Membership
Membership is currently open to public health education institutes that provide at least a Bachelor's level education program. Membership is open to countries outside the WHOSEA Region and is not limited by geographical location. A member institute is represented by its director, dean or designee of the institute. Honorary Membership can be granted to an individual who has contributed significant service to SEAPHEIN.

Dues
Members contribute the amount of US $100 for the first two years. Institute members are expected to ensure that their organizations have paid up memberships. These funds will maintain the Secretariat Office in a budget proposed and approved by the Steering Committee.

Structure
The Executive committee is composed of a President, President-elect, Treasurer, Secretary- General, immediate past president and five focal points who will be elected as representatives. Terms of office are two years and start and end at the closing of the annual meeting. The following were elected to two-year terms of office at the 2009 Annual meeting in Bangkok: Dr. Hasbullah Thabrany as President, Dr. Phitaya Charupoonphol as President-elect, Dr. Gupta as Secretary-General and Dr. Ardini Raksanagara as treasurer.