In September 2016, Milken Institute School of Public Health students and faculty attended the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) 55th Directing Council. Minsters of health and delegates from PAHO’s 35 Member States were present to discuss and adopt strategies and plans of action to eliminate HIV/AIDS, malaria and neglected infectious diseases and respond more effectively to Zika and other arboviruses.
Hulliams Tamah Kamlem, MPH candidate in global health policy at Milken Institute SPH, was one of the students who attended and provided the account below.
“The 68th Session of the Regional Committee of WHO for the Americas at the Pan-American Health Organization in Washington, DC provided me an opportunity to experience firsthand how health policy is debated and adopted on the global stage. As a student in the Global Health Policy program, I was able to meet high-level officials from the World Health Organization, PAHO, and representatives of governments of the Americas.
With my peers, I had a tour of the different divisions within PAHO, learning how public health research projects, policies, and programs are developed, implemented, and assessed. Arguably, the highlight of the five-day event happened Tuesday, September 27 when the Americas were the first region in the world to be declared free of endemic measles cases.
I am grateful to my faculty advisor, Dr. Santos-Burgoa, who made it possible for us students to actively engage in this high-level council. I take away invaluable insight on the process of policy making and diplomacy in the arena of global health.”
Students Alexandra Garcia-Meza, Jennifer Stenback, Professor Carlos Santos-Burgoa and the Director of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan