Duncan Selbie Shares His Three Top Priorities for 2021

Professor Duncan Selbie, President of IANPHI

Dear IANPHI colleagues,

I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy new year and strength and resilience to address the challenges of 2021. Thank you all again for giving me the honour of serving as IANPHI President.

We had a fabulous virtual 2020 IANPHI General Assembly. I was so impressed by the enthusiasm, engagement and the mutual support demonstrated in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which we are all continuing to fight. At the meeting we debated the priorities set out in the draft IANPHI Strategic Vision, and once all the comments are returned, this will be the basis of our work plan for the next 5 years. I want to take this opportunity of my first message to share with you my top three priorities for IANPHI for this year:

1. My number one priority is to finalise and publish IANPHI’s Strategic Vision 2021-2025 and ensure we begin delivering against our agreed strategic priorities:

  • Strengthen professional relationships – this will build on the incredible exchange of information and ideas that have been so valuable as all countries have confronted COVID-19, identifying ways in which we can continue to strengthen peer to peer support. To achieve our new strategic vision, IANPH’s global membership must continue to work closely together and identify opportunities through IANPHI to enhance our collaboration
  • Strengthen professional relationships – this will build on the incredible exchange of information and ideas that have been so valuable as all countries have confronted COVID-19, identifying ways in which we can continue to strengthen peer to peer support. To achieve our new strategic vision, IANPH’s global membership must continue to work closely together and identify opportunities through IANPHI to enhance our collaboration
  • Harness collective expertise – we are all stronger when we work together, and we need to translate the professional relationships into some clear areas of collective action. I will work with you to identify ways in which our joint vision and aspirations can translate into a programme of work
  • Engage, support and grow IANPHI’s diverse membership – the greatest value of IANPHI is reflected in its diversity. We all have something unique to contribute to our collective success and I will reach out to members to find opportunities for greater participation
  • Advocate in support of NPHIs – tremendous work has been done under André’s leadership, strengthening IANPHI’s partnership with WHO and with other global and regional agencies. We will increase advocacy for IANPHI to become a strategic partner in support of the NPHI capacity building that is essential for global health security. We will actively amplify the voices of IANPHI members to promote the role of strong and scientifically independent NPHIs
  • Build an agile organisation – the Secretariat of IANPHI, split between the US and Paris has achieved a huge amount over recent years with relatively limited resource. To build on this success, I will be looking to all members to contribute their time and enthusiasm to increase our collective capacity to deliver in response to global challenges. For the next couple of years, global health security will remain a priority and this will be a key area for our agile and focused engagement

2. My second priority is to formalise IANPHI’s relationship with the World Health Organisation, agreeing how IANPHI members can support global action to build public health capacity and strengthen global health security through a joint action plan.

3. Lastly, I would like to see us develop a resource mobilisation plan to bolster the amount of time we are able to give collectively as a membership organisation to broaden our reach and play an increasingly active role in support of global health.

I will keep you regularly informed of our progress through the year. I also hope to join the regional meetings to get a better understanding of their needs and I very much look forward to seeing all of you at our next annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro later in the year.

With best wishes,

Duncan

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