The Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024 highlights health promotion as a transformative pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Co-hosted by leading health organisations, the event gathered health professionals and policymakers from Southeast Asia to exchange knowledge, showcase best practices, and explore innovative tools to address modern health challenges.
Key Highlights
Under the theme “Health Promotion: A Transformative Path Towards Sustainable Health and Well-being,” the workshop focused on learning from Thailand’s UHC and health promotion journey, exchanging best practices in the region, and building professional networks to promote health equity and well-being globally.
Participants engaged in interactive sessions that blended theory, practice, and innovation. Frameworks in Action involved Thailand’s integration of the Ottawa Charter’s five action areas into national health policies, supported by the sin-tax-funded ThaiHealth model.
Meanwhile, a visit to Farm Funmae Organic in Ratchaburi showcased community-driven health promotion through sustainable food systems. Presentations highlighted tools like the SAANSOOK app for well-being and the “Nong Tung Jai” chatbot for alcohol cessation, emphasising the transformative role of technology.
Notably, Thailand’s healthcare institutions adopt a model known as the Tripower Strategy consisting of Policy Advocacy, Knowledge and Community Mobilisation. This model underpins collaboration and advocacy in the country’s healthcare system.
Group exercises allowed participants to identify health promotion challenges in their countries, propose actionable strategies, and foster cross-country collaboration. Networking sessions encouraged the exchange of ideas and built strong professional connections.
By the end of the event, they were committed to adapting knowledge to address local health challenges, strengthening systems through participatory policies and evidence-based strategies, and scaling solutions with digital health innovations.
The Ottawa Charter: A Guiding Framework
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) remains a cornerstone of health strategies worldwide, covering five action areas:
1. Healthy Public Policy: Integrating health considerations across all sectors, for example, by taxing sugary drinks to fund public health programmes.
2. Supportive Environments: Designing spaces to promote physical and mental well-being.
3. Community Actions: Empowering local initiatives to address specific health needs.
4. Personal Skills: Educating people to make healthier lifestyle choices.
5. Reoriented Services: Shifting healthcare priorities toward prevention and health promotion.
Modern Tools and Innovation
Complementing the Ottawa Charter, modern approaches address evolving health needs:
1. Geneva Charter for Well-being (2021): Aligning health with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. Digital Solutions: Using tools like SAANSOOK, fitness trackers, and AI chatbots to enhance personal health management.
3. Participatory Policymaking: Adopting frameworks like Thailand’s National Health Assembly to foster inclusive health strategies.
4. Innovative Financing: Using Thailand’s sin-tax model to fund impactful health promotion programmes.
Charting the Future of Health Promotion
The Thai UHC Journey Workshop 2024 demonstrated the power of integrating traditional frameworks like the Ottawa Charter with modern technologies to tackle pressing health issues such as noncommunicable diseases and pandemics.
Through collaboration, tailored strategies, and leveraging innovation, countries can build healthier, more resilient communities. Thailand’s leadership provides a model for using the potential of health promotion to drive sustainable development and universal health equity.
Patthiya Pechmee, Researcher
