Second Expert Consultation on Public Health Law
Place: Seoul, Republic of Korea
Date: 18 October 2011
1. Background information
In May 2011, the WHO Regional Office in Western Pacific conducted an "Expert Consultation on Public Health Law", in Manila, Philippines. It provided a forum for public health law experts to discuss up-to-date approaches to public health law and an opportunity to come up with an action plan to improve results, develop a convenient legal analysis tool, and set directions for WHO/WPRO to better assist countries in meeting their public health law needs. The consultation promoted a more unified and harmonized approach by key external partners and consultants for public health law work in the Region, particularly in the Pacific.
Based on the action plan from the first expert consultation, a group of experts headed by Professor Sohn Myongsei, Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health in Yonsei Univesrity has developed a legal analysis tool to assess the public health law situation in countries. A pilot test of the tool is currently being conducted in four countries namely the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa and Vanuatu. Preliminary results and experiences in conducting the pilot test will be reported in the 2nd public health law meeting, to be held in Seoul, 18 October 2011. The second meeting aims to encourage feedback and suggestions to further develop the tools and methodology before it can be launched in other countries.
2. Objectives
In order to promote a more unified and harmonized approach to external technical assistance in public health law, the objectives of the consultation are:
1. to present the results of the pilot test of the legal analysis tool and evaluate the report;
2. to gather suggestions/comments on the difficulties experienced in using the tool so that it can be further enhanced for country launching; and
3. to prepare for the symposium session on public health law in the 43rd (APACPH) Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health Conference on 20 October 2011.