World Federation of Public Health Associations

On behalf of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Canadian Public Health Association on reaching its centennial year. Your association has been a leader within the global community of public health associations. CPHA has shown leadership on so many public health issues over the years, both in Canada and internationally. CPHA has as well been a strong and consistent advocate for evidence-informed policy, programs and practice that have made a positive impact on the health of people. It has set a shining example for all of us around the world about what is an effective and vibrant civil society voice for public health and how it makes a difference through its policy advocacy and action to promote and facilitate universal access to the conditions that affect the public’s health.

CPHA has played since 1973 an important role within the WFPHA. Whether through its participation at the landmark 1978 International Conference on Primary Health Care where CPHA’s former Executive Director Gerry Dafoe delivered on behalf of the Federation a plenary presentation on the role of non-governmental organizations in Primary Health Care, through its technical assistance and financial support over the past 30 years to a wide range of global health initiatives which have contributed to strengthening public health services in over 80 countries, through its sharing of tools, resources and expertise with public health partners around the world, or through its leadership within the WFPHA (both as a member of the Federation’s Executive Board and as its President on multiple occasions), CPHA has made a very important contribution to building global public health capacity and improving the health of millions of people around the world. I also want to note and congratulate CPHA on its celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Strengthening of Public Health Associations (SOPHA) program – this unique initiative has helped establish and nurture over 30 national and regional public health associations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and in Central and Eastern Europe. Many of these associations are active WFPHA members.

I look forward to attending the CPHA’s Centenary Conference in June, at which time I will bring greetings from WFPHA to CPHA and conference delegates. Again, our heartfelt congratulations and expression of our desire to continue this strong friendship and collaboration to create a vibrant and influential global civil society voice of public health.

Sincerely,

Paulo Buss
President

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