MHST631: The Role of Ottawa Charter in the Health Promotion in Canada and Globally

Health promotion within the country of Canada, and even on a wider scope, has widely been looked at through the lens of the Ottawa Charter which was developed and more so established as one of the charters city health promotion in 1986 (World Health Organization, 1986). Its central concepts focus on multiple factors that affect health and have been the basis of health policies and practices till today.

The Importance of the Ottawa Charter in Canada

In Canada, the influence of the Ottawa Charter on public health approaches has been remarkable. The Charter’s focus on the need to formulate healthy public policy has resulted in the formulation of health policies that incorporate the social determinants of health. This can be seen in Canadian policy initiatives geared towards reducing levels of smoking prevalence and increasing levels of physical activity, which have both drawn from recommendations of the Charter. The Smoke-free Laws and the introduction of Active Living Programs are examples of how some provinces in Canada have integrated these strategies in order to better the public’s health.

In addition, the Charter promoted an environment of active participation of various players be it from the government, non-governmental organizations or even the civil society. This is the same way proponents of Canada’s Healthy Communities movement, which calls for the local government to promote health through supportive design and planning of communities, have found it useful. The achievement of these initiatives again brings to bear the value of community engagement which the Charter promotes.

Preference of the Ottawa Charter: The Global Perspective.

The contribution of the Ottawa Charter in health promotion cannot be overemphasized. For instance, most if not all, countries have adopted a new way of thinking health in their respective countries that is not just limited to curative health. The five action areas of the Charter: Building Healthy Public Policy; Creating Supportive Environments; Strengthening Community Actions; Developing Personal Skills and Reorienting Health Services are now key components of health promotion approaches in every part of the world (World Health Organization, 1986).

Most countries as well have adopted policies geared to those who suffer the most in endemic diseases especially women and children mitigating the effect of the charter on the health of the country within which they are based. Such policies have also directed attention to the global response to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and mental disorders in a manner that respects the format and tenets of the which are applicable even many years after its premiere

In Personal and Professional Life

The creation of the Ottawa Charter was a very important event in public health looking at me, but also in me as a public health practitioner. For it, I am grateful as it encourages a comprehensive approach requiring the consideration of all the determinants of health in every intervention. For example, in this case, when developing a nutrition programe for the population, I engaged the audience into healthy eating practices and also called for the creation of conditions conducive to healthy eating.

The place for community action presented in the document also reflects my attitude towards people where I believe they and groups of them should be responsible for their health. It is not just about enhancing the effectiveness of programs by using the input of the community but also encouraging the members of the community to take responsibility over their health and the health of the community as a whole.

Conclusion

To conclude, let it be said that the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion has had a significant impact on the development of health promotion interventions both in Canada and in other countries. Its fundamentals are still relevant to public health practice today, which is integrative in nature and takes into account the many different factors that determine health. On a personal level, it has manifested in the way I practice by advocating for the need to implement broad-based approaches that involve the communities in the delivery and also seek justice in the health effects.

Please watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2quVLcJVBk

                                       References

https://youtu.be/G2quVLcJVBk?si=LyrmYs2Bv_n6YSJ8

World Health Organization. (1986). Ottawa charter for health promotion, 1986 (No.WHO/EURO: 1986-4044-43803-61677). World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/health promotion/population-health/ottawa-charter-health-promotion-international-conference on-health-promotion/charter.pdf