Chiropractor Chairs World Health Organization Meeting on Health Promotion

LIFE UNIVERSITY’S DR. HUSSEIN ELSANGAK MODERATES PANEL AT WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION FORUM ON HEALTH PROMOTIONLife University (LIFE) faculty member Dr. Hussein Elsangak, M.D, D.C., recently moderated a panel discussion at the 9th Global Forum on Health Promotion, held at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.   The November 12 forum was organized by the Alliance for Health Promotion (A4HP) in partnership with the WHO, with the theme “health promotion as a critical pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage” (UHC). The event followed a historic political declaration by the United Nations in September 2019 which UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed as “the most comprehensive agreement ever reached on global health – a vision for Universal Health Coverage by 2030.”   Dr. Elsangak is a full-time faculty member in the Clinical Sciences division of Life University’s College of Chiropractic and a member of the Alliance board. LIFE is home to the world’s largest single-campus Doctor of Chiropractic program, in addition to offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in a number of fields within the health sciences. Dr. Elsangak also serves as the Life University Global Initiatives Liaison for Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Africa.   According to Dr. Elsangak, recent action by the UN and WHO prove that that the holistic approach to health has finally arrived.   “The creation of the WHO Division on Healthier Population is a testament to that, with an emphasis on people’s empowerment and healthy living choices rather than treating disease,” Dr. Elsangak said. “Life University is on the right path for global health. Its principles, philosophy and health education are in exact line with current global thinking and future direction.”   The 9th Global Forum on Health Promotion was held in the WHO Executive Board Room and brought together more than 100 international public health experts, including high-level WHO officials, discussing how their organizations are working toward healthier populations.   Opening remarks were delivered by Alliance President Bernard Kadasia and WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Naoko Yamamoto. A keynote address was delivered by WHO Deputy Director-General Zsuzsanna Jakab. The first panel included a speech by Dr. Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion.   The second panel, moderated by Dr. Elsangak, was called “Translating Global Declarations into Actions.” It highlighted the roles of academia, research, hospitals and civil society in health promotion, achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and implementation of UHC. A video of the entire forum can be found here.   Founded in 1997, the Alliance for Health Promotion is a nongovernmental agency whose membership is comprised of health institutions, agencies and individuals from around the world. A4HP is in Official Relations with the WHO and holds Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).   Life University has been an A4HP member for several years, according to Dr. John Downes, University Vice President for Global Initiatives.   “Life University is pleased to continue our sponsorship and participation in the Alliance for Health Promotion and their annual global forum on health promotion,” Dr. Downes said. “As a board member, Dr. Elsangak continues to provide excellent leadership in the Alliance and holds important responsibilities within the forum through design and implementation, and as a moderator.”   In November 2018, Life University President Dr. Rob Scott participated in the 8th Global Forum on Health Promotion, which focused on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Dr. Scott was a panelist on both the “High-Level Panel: Translating Global Declarations into Grass Roots Realities” and “Thematic Session 1: evidence-based health promotion strategies and actions to fight NCDs,” the latter of which was moderated by Dr. Elsangak.   In addition to its Office of Representation in Geneva and its membership in the A4HP, LIFE partners with three educational institutions in China and with Universidad de Iberoamérica (UNIBE) in Costa Rica. For more information about Life University’s Global Initiatives, click here.

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About Life University Founded in Marietta, Georgia in 1974, Life University is a health sciences institution most known for its chiropractic program, the largest single campus chiropractic program in the world. Life University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Chiropractic degrees, and also has programmatic accreditation through the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic  Training Education (CAATE). The mission of Life University is to empower students with the education, skills and values necessary for career success and life fulfillment, based on a vitalistic philosophy.