WHO core functions/agenda?? + How are you studying?

[evawu]

Hi all, sorry not sure how this forum works or if i'm using it correctly...

anyway, anyone know the difference between the core functions and agenda? I got a question to 'identify which who core functions' the case study showed.
Which one will we have to remember?

alsooo, how are you guys studying for the exam? I really want over 45 for my study score but i've been doing really bad in SACs no matter how hard i try. I always lose little marks in SACs and i've been averaging about an 85
What do you do to improve your SAC marks?

[lucas.vang]

I'd imagine the core functions are the agenda, the mission of the WHO

In the study design it just ask for:
the agenda of the WHO in promoting global health and sustainable human development

so I'd take a wild guess and lean towards the agendas

For the agendas, Id learn all of them. Currently I have a kind of mnemonic, it is SHIP FE
Strengthening ...
Harnessing ....
Improving ...
Promoting ...
Fostering ...
Enhancing ...

And I also make silly mistakes .. Just do some practice with exams and sacs, maybe textbook questions. Remember to read the questions carefully, I lost few marks cause I forgot to refer to the graph..

Goodluck, hoped I helped

[yearningforsimplicity]

As of this year, the focus is on WHO's six-point Agenda (rather than their core functions - which was the focus in the previous HHD study design). In the past study design, there was a topic titled "Core functions of the WHO" - while this topic is not completely detached from "the Agenda of the WHO" - they are related in the sense that fulfiling the core functions also helps to fulfil the agenda; you are now only expected to know the agenda of the WHO (there are 6 of them)

Core functions of the WHO & Agenda of the WHO are linked. In this sense, when the WHO fulfils the core functions, it helps them to also move towards meeting their Agenda. This is because some of the core functions and agenda are linked in terms of what they aim to achieve. E.g. the core function of "shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge" is very similar in what it aims to achieve when we compare it to the agenda of "Harnessing research, information and evidence" -> both this core function and Agenda are focused on research so obviously making progress in the core function will also help WHO to fulfil the Agenda

So then why has the focus now shifted to "Agenda" of the WHO in HHD?? I think it's because the Agenda represent the larger (you could say) mission/vision of the World Health Organisation.

Basically, the agenda of the WHO exists and we focus on it in HHD because it tells us how WHO work to effectively respond to global health issues around the world. In a way, you could say that this six-point Agenda is kind of like WHO's "game-plan" for tackling issues of health and human development The six agenda of the WHO include:
1) Promoting development
2) Fostering health security
3) Strengthening health systems
4) Harnessing research, information and evidence
5) Enhancing partnerships
6) Improving performance

Note that It is important to name the agenda correctly as they are official agenda developed by the WHO so you can't "put them into your own words"

However! One way of remembering them is with this acrostic:

I See Fat Hippos Eating Peanuts

 (I made this up, don't laugh - I have nothing against hippos )

I - Improving Partnerships
S - Strengthening Health Systems
F - Fostering Health Security
H - Harnessing Research Information and Evidence
E - Enhancing Partnerships
P - Promoting Development

You should be able to explain how the WHO uses the agenda to achieve global health and sustainable human development in terms of each of the agenda (e.g. "how does the WHO improve global health and SHD through fostering health security?")

Hope I didn't confuse you with this reply!! >.< I know this area of study is a little dry sometimes but it's really not as complex or broad as it looks so don't fret~

[evawu]

Thanks so much for the info and help guys!

another thing i'm really struggling with is answering questions to do with global health.

e.g. how does the UN security council promote global health?

Can i say that if there's political stability --> less injuries --> better physical health, therefore better overall global health??

what are some examples of things i could say?


Thanks in advance!

[yearningforsimplicity]

Thanks so much for the info and help guys!

another thing i'm really struggling with is answering questions to do with global health.

e.g. how does the UN security council promote global health?

Can i say that if there's political stability --> less injuries --> better physical health, therefore better overall global health??

what are some examples of things i could say?


Thanks in advance!

Yupp your line of thought is on the right track! But try linking it to a health status indicator at the end So:
"political stability --> less injuries --> better physical health -> lowered morbidity (injuries/disabilities) and lowered mortality (i.e. lowered deaths from war or civil conflict that might arise in the presence of political instability).

There does tend to be some confusion about what Global health actually entails. This is VCAA's definition: "The term ‘global health’ extends beyond the individual and is concerned with the health of populations. Global health is about an international collaborative approach to achieve equality for all people worldwide".

I think that Global Health can be discussed in terms of health status indicators (that's how I and many others have approached these Qs in the past). The reason for that is because a lot of the time when we compare one country's health status against another's, we have discussions about why "Australia has a higher LIFE EXPECTANCY than Afghanistan" or why "Mozambique has a higher UNDER-5 MORTALITY RATE compared to Australia" - we tend to use health status indicators a lot in discussions of global health so they have some importance n relation to Global Health Qs In Global Health Qs, you can also address the major issues which impact upon health status within developing countries e.g. political systems, economy, healthcare, education systems, etc.

VCAA have specified in their bulletin this year that the term "health" can mean either the dimensions of health at an individual level (physical/mental/social) OR can mean the health status indicators (morbidity, mortality, U5MR, life expectancy, maternal mortality, etc). The best (and perhaps safest) option is to incorporate a discussion of both the dimensions AND the health status indicators within your answers

[evawu]

Thanks SOOO much yearningforsimplicity! It's really appreciated
Do you happen to know the priorities of DFAT as well? I'm actually totally confused about the whole thing and what they do :/

Sorry to bother you again!!

[yearningforsimplicity]

Thanks SOOO much yearningforsimplicity! It's really appreciated
Do you happen to know the priorities of DFAT as well? I'm actually totally confused about the whole thing and what they do :/

Sorry to bother you again!!

No worries!

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) manages the Australian Government's overseas aid  program. DFAT aims to reduce poverty in developing countries and improve human development, with a focus on assisting developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

DFAT's priorities include:
-> Education
-> Humanitarian aid.
-> Health, including supporting the fight against hiv/aids, malaria and tuberculosis
-> Empowering women and girls
-> Effective governance
-> Economic development, including encouraging trade and private sector investment

[walkec]

So on the study design, it just says 'the agenda of WHO in promoting global health and sustainable human development'

Does that mean we are definitely not required to learn the core functions?

[evawu]

I double checked with my teacher and she said we didn't need to know them.
Does anyone have any idea how to explain how WHO actually promotes global health +shd?
Like I understand how their agendas such as 'strengthening health systems' allows for health services to better accommodate the community, which reduces some indicators and promotes global health... i think

but i can't really articulate an answer?

Also- for questions asking about global health and shd, do we need to talk about global health and then the health aspect of shd again?

[lucas.vang]

WHO promotes GH & SHD through its agenda's.
To tackle this question, you'd have to see how many marks it is? and how the question was written.

I think this could possibly have the most marks

I don't know if this would be work 6 marks, but this is what i would write for one example.
Id explain one like you said 'strengthening health system's' (1 mark) explain what it is (1 mark), an example of how this could be implemented (1 mark) then how would it effect GH (1 mark) and SHD (2 marks)

For questions on GH and SHD, you'd just talk about SHD first then GH. so it leaves you more room to expand and make up some crap without restating the same information. Eg: Through education , individuals are more likely to expand their literacy and numeracy levels thus have an increased access to higher paying employment. This contributes to the economic growth of the country to allow future generations to earn an income (social sustainability) which can expand individuals choices and capabilities to lead productive and creative lives according to their needs (hd). Moreover individuals have an increased understanding on health preventatives and health behaviors thus are more inclined to take better care of themselves which will reduce the global mortality rate of preventable diseases of ______ countries.


Usually you'd get to the point quicker but I tend to get carried away sometimes :3

[evawu]

Thanks for the help lucas! Correct me if i'm wrong, but i was told that health had to be discussed when answering shd questions? And also isn't 'contribut[ing]to the economic growth of the country to allow future generations to earn an income' economic sustainability?

Thanks again for your suggestion to talk about GH last. i was going to tackle it by talking about gh, then abruptly stopping and going onto shd.

good luck for your exam prep

[Smiley_]

When talking about Sustainable human development  you don't have to mention health but it usually helps a flowing answer. Most questions especially in exams talk about the relationship with health and sustainable human development so then of obviously you would talk about all the components then

[evawu]

thanks smiley!!

[evawu]

Hi! sorry to bother everyone again.

But do we need to know about peace building, keeping etc?

and also- when evaluating the sustainability of programs, are you just allowed to assume that the aid provided free of charge even though it doesn't say it?
(2013 VCAA Sction B- Q3) it didn't show it in the data but in the assessors report, one of the answers said the program was free of charge?

thanks

[walkec]

Hi! sorry to bother everyone again.

But do we need to know about peace building, keeping etc?

thanks

Yes. This is how the UN ensures world peace and security, which is a dot point on the study design