Scientia PhD Candidate, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia.
Dr. T.M.A Pai Fellow, Department of Data Science, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Madhava Nagar, Manipal 576104, Udupi, India.
Health Promot Int. 2021 Aug 24;36(3):731-740. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaa087.
The South Asian region is predicted to be among the most severely affected by the health impacts of climate change and warrants regional health policy leadership to tackle the same. Model World Health Organization (WHO) simulations offer the academic opportunity to build this leadership. This study describes the conceptualization and conduct of the 'Manipal Model World Health Organization' 2018 debate simulation, where a multi-professional group of students at an Indian university deliberated approaches to address the regional health impacts of climate change in South Asia. We contextualized the Model WHO debate model for a multi-professional classroom. Multi-sectoral stakeholders were engaged to draw participants from health and non-health disciplines. Participants were trained in health research literacy, policy politics, bloc politics, writing and public speaking for Model WHO. Mock sessions provided training in navigating parliamentary procedures. The debate event consisted of 22 participants and a four-member panel from diverse academic disciplines who independently assessed the deliberations. All delegations demonstrated competent written and verbal contributions. Content analysis of resolutions reaffirmed international agreements and addressed the Climate Change Health Risk Framework, and objectives of the WHO Secretariat Action Plan. Besides presenting a stratified typology of academic health policy debate simulations in global, regional, and subnational contexts, we also propose a 'theory of change', illustrating how academic policy discourse platforms can nurture critical thinking, research/policy literacy and leadership skills. Such initiatives help build the health policy leadership required for addressing global health challenges such as climate change.
南亚地区预计将受到气候变化对健康影响的最严重影响，因此需要区域卫生政策领导力来应对这一问题。世界卫生组织（WHO）模型模拟提供了建立这种领导力的学术机会。本研究描述了“马德拉斯模型世界卫生组织”2018 年辩论模拟的概念化和实施情况，印度一所大学的多专业学生小组就在南亚应对气候变化对健康影响的方法进行了辩论。我们为多专业课堂调整了世界卫生组织模拟辩论模式。多部门利益攸关方参与其中，从卫生和非卫生学科中招募参与者。参与者接受了健康研究素养、政策政治、集团政治、世界卫生组织写作和演讲方面的培训。模拟会议提供了议会程序导航方面的培训。辩论活动由 22 名参与者和来自不同学术学科的四名小组成员组成，他们独立评估了辩论。所有代表团都展示了熟练的书面和口头贡献。决议的内容分析重申了国际协议，并解决了《气候变化健康风险框架》以及世卫组织秘书处行动计划的目标。除了在全球、区域和国家以下各级展示分层的学术卫生政策辩论模拟类型外，我们还提出了“变革理论”，说明了学术政策话语平台如何培养批判性思维、研究/政策素养和领导技能。这些举措有助于培养应对气候变化等全球健康挑战所需的卫生政策领导力。
