On 26 September 2024, Ms. Pinsuda Jayanama, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, was assigned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to chair the Foreign Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative (FPGH) under the theme “Rethinking Health Promotion: A Transformative Path towards Improved and More Sustainable Well-being for All.” The meeting was attended by high-level representatives from 6 other FPGH member countries; namely, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa. The Thai delegation consisted of Mr. Panumard Yarnwaidsakul, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, and Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York. 

The Director-General expressed the view that health promotion is a proactive and preventive measure in raising awareness on the importance of taking care of one’s health and health promotion, to help reduce the burden on health systems, including Universal Health Coverage. The Director-General also stressed that health promotion can lead to enhanced cooperation among various stakeholders and promote public-private partnership to actualize policies related to health promotion such as health innovation, digital health, and wide-ranging health services.

The FPGH was founded in 2006 to promote health diplomacy. The FPGH submits an annual resolution to the United Nations General Assembly for adoption each year. Thailand’s participation in the FPGH demonstrates the country’s leading role in promoting health diplomacy at the global stage, in fostering international cooperation and in steering national progress on public health.