World Medical Association takes over Secretariat of Health Professions Alliance

From 15 February 2008 the World Medical Association will take over the secretariat for the World Health Professions Alliance, the body that brings together more than 23 million health care professionals worldwide. The Alliance unites dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy through their representative international organisations, the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the World Dental Federation (FDI) and the World Medical Association (WMA).

The WHPA was formed between ICN, FDI and WMA in 1999 as a unique alliance to address global health issues, with the secretariat being run from the ICN. The Alliance was pleased to welcome FDI in 2005. The aim of the organisation is to facilitate collaboration between key health professionals and major international stakeholders such as governments, policy makers and the World Health Organization. The Alliance operates under the philosophy that by working in collaboration, instead of along parallel tracks, the patient and health care system benefit.

Over the past nine years, the WHPA has taken active and leading roles in fostering patient safety, advocating a positive practice environment in the health care setting, human resource issues, regulation of the health professions, human rights in medicine, producing a core competency framework for international health consultants and discussing the future of healthcare. Other activities have involved combating counterfeit medicines, condemning the stigma associated with mental illness, multi drug resistant tuberculosis and tobacco.

In May it will be holding a first-of-its-kind conference on regulation in Geneva (17-18 May). The main focus will be on the role of professionals in addressing health needs, models of health professional regulation and regulatory governance and performance.

The new contact person for the WHPA will be Dr. Julia Seyer:
Tel: 0033 (0) 450 40 75 75
Fax: 0033 (0) 450 40 59 37
E Mail: whpa@wma.net

Address: World Health Professions Alliance
Dr. Julia Seyer (WMA)
BP 63
01210 Ferney- Voltaire, France