Other Partners

Other SOPHA Partners

Since 1985, through the SOPHA Program and other programs, CPHA has collaborated with national public health associations in 28 countries, two UN-administered locations and two regional PHAs.

Below is a list of other PHAs that CPHA has collaborated with over the years, with a brief description of their history and activities:

AFRICA FRANCOPHONE
Réseau d’associations de santé publique d’Afrique francophone (RASPAF)
(2007)
The RASPAF was created in 2007 by the public health associations from Francophone Africa. The association is composed of member PHAs from Niger, Congo (Brazzaville), Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, who was elected to hold the chairmanship of the network. RASPAF’s mission is to promote the public health movement in Francophone Africa. The goal of RASPAF is to strengthen ties between PHAs sharing a common vision and reality to improve the growth of the public health movement in Francophone Africa.

BOLIVIA
Sociedad Boliviana de Salud Pública (SBSP)
(1985 - 1995)
The SBSP was one of CPHA’s first SOPHA partners. It played a key role is strengthening occupational health and safety training programmes for both workers and employers. The SBSP made extensive use of progressive OHS legislation in Canada, particularly the worker’s rights to know and to refuse dangerous work. The SPSP set up partnerships with the National Institute for OHS and received support from the local Rotary Club for their training. The association held an Annual Public Health Conference in various regions of the country and continues its activities to address major public health issues in Bolivia.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
(2005-2009)
CPHA through the Strengthening Balkans Civil Society’s Voice for Public Health through Public Health Associations programme is collaborating with two PHAs in BiH)

Public Health Association of the Republic of Srpska
Public Health Partnership of the Federation of BiH (PJZ-PPH)

BRAZIL
Associação Brasileira de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva (ABRASCO)
(1999-2002) (2006-2009)
Through CIDA’s Technology Transfer Fund, CPHA first collaborated with ABRASCO and the National School of Public Health (ENSP) on the Health Promotion in Action Project. In 2006, CPHA, ABRASCO and ENSP are partnering again to implement a new project funed by CIDA, the "Intersectoral Action for Health Promotion in Brazil". ABRASCO is an active member of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, and the host of the 11th Congress of WFPHA in August 2006.

BURKINA FASO
Association Burkinabè de Santé Publique (ABSP)
(1995 - 2010)
ABSP is one of the leading public health associations in Francophone Africa. It has been a mentor to other associations in the region. The ABSP has collaborated with the Ministry of Health and community organizations to strengthen access to reproductive health services in a remote area of the country. Health system reform is also an area of action for the Association as well as tobacco control. ABSP participated in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey. ABSP has been very successful in building a strong multi-disciplinary membership base that involves women in its leadership.

CARIBBEAN
The Caribbean Association of Environmental Health Officers (CAEHO)
(1985 - 1995)
CAEHO was once of CPHA’s first partners. It played a vital role in strengthening the professional role of Environmental Health Officers at a time when many positions were being eliminated in the public service. The project included in-service education sessions for the Officers that also served to strengthen their professional advocacy presence. CAEHO was also instrumental in establishing the multi-disciplinary Caribbean Public Health Association (CARIPHA).

CHILE
Sociedad Chilena de Salubridad (SCS)
(1985 - 1998)
The SCS is one of the oldest PHAs in Latin America. It was driven into obscurity in the 1970s by the repressive government of Chile. CPHA worked with two non-governmental Chilean partners, Grupo de Investigaciones en Medicina Social (GICAMS) and Programa de Investigaciones para la Educación (PIIE) to form the basis to regroup the SCS. During the project, workshops were held throughout Chile on health reforms. GICAMS was instrumental in translating CPHA’s Position Paper, “Focus on Health,” into Spanish, and used it as a focal point for debates on health sector reform.

COSTA RICA
Asociación Costarricense de Salúd Pública (ACOSAP)
(1985 - 1998)
ACOSAP was one of CPHA’s first partners and remains one of the most vibrant public health associations in the Americas. This association carried out some groundbreaking work on the needs of the elderly and introduced to Costa Rica the concept of Day Centres, particularly for elderly women. Its work resulted in a department for Senior Citizens established within the Ministry of Health. ACOSAP has been actively involved in tobacco control measures in Costa Rica and was awarded a national award for this effort. It holds regular scientific meetings and produces a regular public health publication. In addition, it is very active within the World Federation of Public Health Associations and partnered with CPHA, PAHO and the Federation in 2005 to strengthen the links between public health associations and schools of public health.

CUBA
Sociedad Cubana de Salud Pública (SCSP)
(1999-2006)
The Cuban Society of Public Health was instrumental in creating a Virtual School of Public Health by introducing an intranet for distance education for public health workers in eight remote areas of the country. Current scientific papers and technical public health information reached front line health workers who had little access to up-to-date materials. The SCSP also participated in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey in Havana and 4 other Provinces. It has been active as well on evaluating and improving Essential Public Health Functions in several provinces.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Asociación para la Promoción de la Salud Pública (ASAP)
(1995 - 1998)
CPHA collaborated with ASAP in health promotion activities in rural communities as well as occupational and environmental health conditions for workers in the industrial tax free zones.

EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AFRICA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION (ECSAPHA)
(1988 - 1995)
The East, Central and Southern Africa Public Health Association was formed as an umbrella association to work with the emerging PHAs in the region. It combines its annual conference with one of the national associations and addresses issues that are of regional importance. It is also prepared to expand the public health association movement in Africa and is the regional representative to the World Federation of Public Health Associations. ECSAPHA’s creation was a unique collaboration between CPHA, the Tanzania Public Health Association, and the Regional Office of the Commonwealth Health Secretariat based in Arusha, Tanzania.

EGYPT
Egyptian Association for Safety and Health (ASOSH)
(1988 - 1995)
One of CPHA’s first partners, ASOSH’s work concentrated on in-service education programmes for agricultural extension workers to bring safety and health issues to their attention and create strategies for worker and farmer protection. The association’s activities concentrated mostly on the highly productive and economically essential cotton industry. ASOSH also worked closely with Egyptian policy makers in both the Health and the Labour Ministries. ASOSH was ahead of its time in bringing these issues to public attention and was recognized as a leader for public health advocacy.

ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA)
(1994 - 2003)
The Ethiopian Public Health Association is one of the first created in Africa. The years of war and social strife saw it lapse, but not disappear. After the war, CPHA collaborated with EPHA to address health reforms, support for public health leadership, advocacy for women’s health, particularly against Female Genital Mutilation, developed policy directions for career structures in public health for the Ministry. EPHA holds a dynamic Annual Public Health Conference hosted alternately by different provincial branches of its growing national network.

INDONESIA
Indonesian Public Health Association (IPHA)
(1985 - 1995)
The IPHA was one of CPHA’s first partners. This association initiated an innovative project to work with Traditional Birth Attendants (many of whom are men) to research the factors that would improve their performance and result in safer births. The association also conducted a series of workshops on issues of health reform and the need for creating a cadre of public health professionals. IPHA also played a key role in the World Federation of Public Health Associations and hosted a landmark Congress in Bali at which all of CPHA’s SOPHA partners met to set new directions for SOPHA.

MEXICO
Sociedad Mexicana de Salud Pública (SMSP)
(1985 - 1991)
SMSP and CPHA collaborated together with the Government of the State of Tabasco to undertake a review of how primary health care services could expand their effectiveness through intersectoral collaboration. This resulted in a publication that was widely circulated in the country as reference material for other health workers. SMSP has been a long-standing member of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA); its President was named President of the WFPHA for the period 2004-2006.

PAKISTAN
Public Health Association of Pakistan (PHAP)
(1998 - 2001)
The PHAP is one of the oldest public health associations in the region. With support from CPHA, the PHAP organized several public health fora and actively met with young students in the various health faculties to promote their participation in public health policy advocacy.

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Palestinian Public Health Association (PPHA)
(1991 - 1998)
PPHA was created during the optimistic period of peace building in the region after the signing of the Oslo Accord. The Association was actively involved in the discussions of what a Palestinian Ministry of Health would look like and the health priorities of the Palestinian people. Challenged by the physical separation of the West Bank and Gaza, it nevertheless created a single public health association that became the home for dynamic young Palestinian health practitioners. The last few years of increased civil strife in the region have limited its capacity to function, but it is hoped that the region is entering a new era and PPHA will be able once again to provide leadership in public health among and for Palestinians.

PERU
Asociación Peruana de Salud Pública (APSAP)
(1991 - 2003)
APSAP began its association with a firm commitment to develop strong provincial branches. Within a very short time it established 8 branches throughout the country. Each branch is semi-autonomous but collaborated together at a national level to promote the Healthy Cities movement. Municipal authorities looked to APSAP to assist them in developing intersectoral collaborations for better health. This was an innovative approach in Peru at the time and resulted in accolades from PAHO.

REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
Public Health Association of Montenegro (UJZCG)
(2004)
The Public Health Association of Montenegro was founded in December 2004. The impetus for its creation was provided through CPHA’s “Strengthening Essential Public Health Functions in the Balkans” project. Its establishment was the result of a dedicated small group of people who are attempting to bring to the table a civil society voice to the discussion and debate on health sector reform and the place of public health.

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Public Health Association of Serbia (UJZS)
(2003 - 2004) (2005-2009)
The UJZS is the first public health association to be established in the former Yugoslavia. It has already earned a strong reputation for its work on health promotion and tobacco control. Its inaugural conference brought over 500 public health workers together, an unheard of number for such a young association. It established one of the first public health resource centres in the region and possesses a remarkable collection of materials on health promotion and public health from Canada and from other European countries. These resources are very much used by health workers from throughout the Republic. It also carried out the first-ever study in Eastern Europe on pregnancy-associated smoking prevalence and post-partum cessation relapse.CPHA is currently working with UJZS through its project "Strengthening Balkans Civil Society’s Voice for Public Health through Public Health Associations"

ROMANIA
Romanian Association for Public Health and Health Management (RPHHMA)
(1995 - 1998)
The RPHHMA was the first multi-disciplinary public health association to emerge from the major political changes in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s. A handful of visionaries quickly understood the role of advocacy from a non-partisan and politically independent organization in shaping the country’s new public health agenda. Under heavy pressure for a highly privatized health care model the Association worked with CPHA and colleagues from other countries of Europe to present options. Workshops were held throughout the country and recommendations made to the Ministries of Health at regional and national level. It was also responsible for advocating successfully for the adoption of the country’s first legislation to include health warnings in tobacco product advertising.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Russian Public Health Association (RPHA)
(1993 - 2001)
The RPHA emerged from the major political changes in Russia and quickly became an independent voice for public health in Russia. For the first two years of its existence the RPHA concentrated on workshops, seminars and policy documents on the issue of health reforms. Over time, it has become the country’s leading voice on tobacco control issues and has developed a strong countrywide coalition of other public health groups to work on this issue. Tobacco and alcohol use are major public health issues in Russia that require a policy and legal framework to effect significant change. RPHA participated in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, which showed very high levels of smoking among young boys and girls.

SUDAN
The Sudanese Society for Occupational Safety and Health (SSOSH)
(1985-1991)
The SSOSH was one of CPHA’s first partners. Occupational safety and health was not a well-developed concept at the time. Training programmes were held with both agricultural workers and at small industry workplaces. It brought together a number of health professionals who volunteered their time to conduct these workshops. The Society was in the first steps of becoming a national public health association when civil war broke out. Its present status is unknown.

TANZANIA
Tanzanian Public Health Association (TPHA)
(1985 - 1998)
TPHA was one of the first public health associations in Africa. It partnered with CPHA to develop a Mass Health Education programme that included radio programmes, regular newspaper articles and targeted school health education messages. TPHA was not afraid to tackle some of the big issues before they became well established. For example, it was one of the first public health groups to raise the alarm about HIV/AIDS in Africa. It has also dealt with the sensitive topic of violence against women. It holds an annual conference, which is hosted on a rotating basis by a regional branch. The conference has opened up its scientific programme to front-line workers and actively helped them to prepare their work for presentation and also recognizes each year an outstanding student in Tanzania who is either studying in the health field or has accomplished an exceptional health intervention.

THAILAND
National Health Association of Thailand (NHAT)
(1985 - 1995)
During its collaboration with CPHA NHAT worked at the community level to improve access to clean water and basic sanitation. It promoted innovative rainwater collection systems and still, to this day, there are large clay water collectors with CPHA’s logo on them in a number of Thai villages!

TURKEY
Turkish Public Health Association (T-HASAK)
(1991 - 1995)
PHAT collaborated with CPHA in raising awareness and participation in health reforms underway in Turkey at that time. The association made extensive use of some of the materials CPHA had produced on this issue. The PHAT became very involved in tobacco control in Turkey and joined forces with an active coalition on this issue. It is an active member of the World Federation of Public Health Associations and will host the WFPHA’s 2009 International Public Health Congress.

UGANDA
Ugandan National Association for Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH)
(1991 - 2003)
UNACOH is one of CPHA’s most accomplished partners. It has evolved into a national multi-disciplinary association with 19 branches throughout the country. It has been successful in raising public awareness on major public health issues and was one of the first organizations in the country to address the growing problem of high mortality and disability from traffic accidents. UNACOH, as one of CPHA’s "graduated" partners, still collaborates with us as a mentor for younger public health associations in Africa.

UN-ADMINISTERED PROVINCE OF KOSOVO
Public Health Association of Kosovo
(2002-2004)
The Public Health Association of Kosovo was established in 2002. Due to a complex political and socio-economic context, the association has experienced difficulties in “finding its feet”. It organized in 2004 the province’s first “Days of Public Health”, which brought together public health practitioners to discuss present and emerging public health issues.

ZAIRE
Association Zairoise pour la Santé Publique (AZSP)
(1985 - 1988)
The AZSP was the first public health association in Francophone Africa. Its members worked to increase access to public health and primary health care in what was then Zaire (currently Democratic Republic of Congo). The AZSP collaborated with CPHA in establishing other public health associations in Francophone Africa and acted as a mentor to the newly created associations. Unfortunately, the war intervened, and although it still is legally incorporated and there are still some members, it has been impossible to function as an independent NGO.

ZIMBABWE
Public Health Association of Zimbabwe (PHAZ)
(1991 - 1998)
The PHAZ was one of the first CPHA partners to address the issue of tobacco. This pre-dated the WHO and CDC-led global initiatives and brought to the attention of Zimbabwe health authorities the growing problem among youth of tobacco use. Zimbabwe depends on tobacco agricultural production as a major foreign exchange earner so this advocacy for public health was challenging. Unfortunately, the exodus of many public health workers from Zimbabwe has reduced the Association’s membership significantly.