IHPP leaders push for equity, ethics, and system transformation at Colombo workshop

      The International Health Policy Program (IHPP) Foundation was prominently represented at the Regional Workshop on Human Resources for Health (HRH): Strengthening Competence and Compassion, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from July 3–5, 2025. Attending on behalf of IHPP were Dr. Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Senior advisor; Dr. Angkana Lekagul, Secretary General; Ms. Divya Lokhatia; and Ms. Ravikanya Prapharsavat. Together, the IHPP team joined delegates from across the South-East Asia Region in discussions focused on building resilient, people-centered, and equitable health workforces.

IHPP delegates at the Regional HRH Workshop in Colombo representing IHPP Thailand in advancing ethical, equitable, and people-centered health workforce strategies.

      Organized by World Health Organization South East Asia Regional Office (WHO SEARO) and the Asian Collective for Health Systems, the workshop focused on four key objectives: strengthening HRH capacity and compassion, addressing international migration, supporting regulatory reform, and aligning partner efforts with national health workforce priorities. The event built on prior regional dialogues, including the 13th Asia Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health (AAAH) Conference and Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2025, and responded to rising HRH pressures from demographic shifts, climate change, and growing global mobility.

Thailand’s leadership was evident throughout the workshop, particularly through contributions from IHPP’s senior team.

Dr. Suwit opened Day 1 in a high-level conversation with Dr. K. Srinath Reddy and Dr. Palitha Abeykoon. The session, titled “Enough money or enough workforce – which one is the priority?”, set a dynamic tone. Dr. Suwit challenged passive meeting cultures and called for a shift in HRH planning — from static, siloed models to bold, system-based thinking. He warned against health systems producing “big brains with small hearts,” and stressed the importance of combining technical competence with deep compassion. He also underscored tensions between global standardization and local realities, emphasizing the need for decolonized and equity-focused HRH governance.

Dr. Suwit emphasizes the need for courage and creativity in reforming workforce models during the opening dialogue.
 

      On Day 2, Dr. Angkana Lekagul delivered a concise but powerful reflection on international migration and the WHO Global Code of Practice. She acknowledged progress in awareness and reporting, but cautioned that the Code’s voluntary nature has limited its impact amid systemic imbalances. High-income countries continue to draw a disproportionate share of global health workers, while 55 low- and middle-income countries — home to over a quarter of the world’s population — are left with just five percent of the workforce. Dr. Angkana urged stronger domestic investment in retention, rural workforce strategies, and community-based care models. She also highlighted Thailand’s leadership in South–South cooperation, citing long-standing support for training students from Bhutan and the Maldives, and the recent MoU with the Maldives signed at the 2024 World Health Assembly.

Dr. Angkana’s presentation emphasized Thailand’s leadership in shaping equitable migration policy and regional collaboration.

      The workshop reinforced the urgent need to rethink health workforce models through a systems lens, as echoed in presentations by WHO SEARO. The region faces increasing strain from unequal distribution, aging populations, and growing demand for compassionate, multidisciplinary care. Countries were urged to adopt dynamic workforce planning tools — including strategic modeling, context-specific regulation, and integration of health humanities — to future-proof their HRH systems.

Participants of the Regional HRH Workshop in Colombo: delegates from across South-East Asia gather to advance collaborative, compassionate, and future-ready health workforce solutions.

The event concluded with a strong sense of shared purpose and momentum. IHPP’s delegation contributed actively across sessions, reaffirming Thailand’s regional role as a thought leader in health systems and human resources reform.