Rationale:
At the heart of each health system, a competent and dynamic health workforce is essential in advancing health and in achieving global health goals such as the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Countries need to have a pool of health professionals who are trained and exposed to the systems and processes in the health sector and understand how stakeholders interplay within the arena of health.
The WHO Internship and Volunteer Programme in the Western Pacific Region provides opportunities for graduate and postgraduate students to gain insight into the work of the Organization, while enriching their knowledge and experience in the field of health, thereby contributing to the advancement of population health.
The WHO Regional Office is committed to building future leaders in public health. However, this cannot be achieved by management decision or administrative support alone. Each technical unit must be proactive in finding and nurturing future leaders in public health, including young professionals such as interns and volunteers. Strengthening the WHO Internship and Volunteer Programme in the Western Pacific Region is a component of the human resources reform set out in the Regional Director's "Fit for the Future" agenda.
Programme Objectives:
- To provide a framework for assigning postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds to WHO programmes that can enhance their educational experience through practical assignments.
- To expose postgraduate students to the work of WHO.
- To provide WHO programmes with input from postgraduate students specializing in various fields.