OUR HISTORY

IHPP: A 'Social Innovation' that supports health systems reform
2020-2011
2010-2001
2000-1991
2010
January
Establishment
The Universal Health Coverage Benefit Package of Thailand project, in collaboration with HITAP, was started in 2010, led by Dr Phusit Prakongsai. This research project has conducted an economic analysis, budget impact analysis, costing, and Health Intervention and Technology Assessment on new health technologies and interventions as well as public health policies proposed by key stakeholders.
Capacity Building
Although the capacity in Global Health had been gradually built and improved based on two years experiences of the international health capacity building project 2008-2009 funded by TGLIP (the first phase of capacity building on international health), there is a need for strengthening, fostering, and institutionalising the capacity to meet increasing challenges of globalization, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements as well as various emerging and re-emerging health problems such as global pandemic of H1N1 and H5N1 influenza virus and increasing trend of NCDs. Furthermore, to sustain and strengthen the network requires commitment from the Global Health experts, clear vision and management skills of the project coordinators, and sustainable financial support for medium and long-term capacity building.
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The 2nd Phase of Capacity Building in International Health (2010-2012) (TGLIP phase 2)
Although the capacity in Global Health had been gradually built and improved based on two years experiences of the international health capacity building project 2008-2009 funded by TGLIP (the first phase of capacity building on international health), there is a need for strengthening, fostering, and institutionalising the capacity to meet increasing challenges of globalization, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements as well as various emerging and re-emerging health problems such as global pandemic of H1N1 and H5N1 influenza virus and increasing trend of NCDs. Furthermore, to sustain and strengthen the network requires commitment from the Global Health experts, clear vision and management skills of the project coordinators, and sustainable financial support for medium and long-term capacity building.

The goal of the 2nd Phase of Capacity Building in International Health was to continue building up and strengthening individual capacity in Global Health among Thai partners at all levels of inter-disciplinary health professionals across Ministries and agencies through on-site training activities at various international forums, academic networks, for which these capacities contribute to the Global Health performance in setting Global Health agendas and formulate Global Health policies.
Capacity Building
A long term capacity building program for young researchers on Health Policy and Systems Research was launched in 2010. This program was managed by the International Health Policy Program (IHPP) with funding support from domestic resources. The outputs of this program consisted of 5 PhD and 2 Master graduates.
Capacity Building
Strengthening Thai Capacity for Health Promotion or STRETCH foresee that technical knowledge is the “beginning and bottleneck” of health promotion policy under the principle of “Triangle that Moves the Mountain”. The lack of knowledge not only pose the risk of steering policy in the wrong direction but also contribute to the loss of resources. The lack in the development of a young researcher is an essential gap in the effective development mechanism. Therefore, STRETCH aims to instil traits in researcher; well-roundedness, which may be similar but also different from an activist who has technical skills.
People
Dr. Phusit Prakongsai was appointed as the 3rd director of International Health Policy Program in October 2010.
Network
The Prince Mahidol Award Conference has been organized annually since 2007 as an international conference focusing on policy-related public health issues of global significance. The conference is hosted by the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, the Royal Thai Government and other global partners, where IHPP was formally assigned to support for technical issue in Prince Mahidol Award Conference since 2010.
2009
January
People
In 2009, Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi was appointed to be the Director of Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) after Dr Bundit Sornpaisarn. The organisational structure of CAS was therefore changed from working under Health System Research Institute to IHPP under Health Promotion Policy Research (HPR) managed by Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi and brought young researchers under Alcohol Policy Research (APR) to work for CAS.
2008
January
Policy uptake
In 2007, a policy was introduced to provide Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) as the first option for treatment of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients (the PD First policy) in Thailand, with the goals of achieving equity in access to Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) across the three main public health-funding schemes and extending financial risk protection to patients with ESKD. Advocacy by IHPP as health policy and systems researchers and stakeholders such as nephrologists, civil society seeking equity in access to dialysis, and responsiveness from policy makers, led to the methodical development of the PD First policy and marked a turning point in ESKD care in Thailand. Finally, the Thai PD First policy was implemented in January 2008.
Research
In 2008, Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) supported International Health Policy Program (IHPP) in the development of Alcohol Policy Research (APR) with Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi as project manager. Built upon two significant principles: creating a mechanism in developing new g eneration researchers who are skilful and determined, along with a mechanism in building think-tank to support policy process in the field of alcohol in Thailand; in the area of the policy process, policy content, as well as, analysis of policy, to attain the knowledge necessary for the improvement of the policy. Moreover, APR expects to create collaboration among researchers and stakeholders within and outside Thailand, especially at the international level, which is a tool to heighten the technical readiness. APR works to strategise direction alongside CAS as CAS began to conduct in-house research through using APR as the mechanism.
2007
January
Establishment
During the first phase of SRS (1998-2000), Thailand, together with its health systems, was severely affected by the 1997 economic recession. The need for quick and effective solutions to mitigate the impact of the financial crisis and improve health systems efficiency, provided an opportunity for the SRS researchers to propose reforms of the health benefit and insurance plans, the distribution and use of high-cost medical technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) scanners.
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Establishment of the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP)
During the first phase of SRS (1998-2000), Thailand, together with its health systems, was severely affected by the 1997 economic recession. The need for quick and effective solutions to mitigate the impact of the financial crisis and improve health systems efficiency, provided an opportunity for the SRS researchers to propose reforms of the health benefit and insurance plans, the distribution and use of high-cost medical technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) scanners.

Whilst not many studies by the SRS and IHPP research fellows examined the cost-effectiveness of health interventions, research of this type was apparently demanded by policymakers, especially those involved in making the decisions on resource allocation. Furthermore, a PhD thesis by an IHPP fellows reflected several impediments and therefore mismanagement of research in health economics and pharmaco-economics in Thailand. This problematic situation inspired IHPP administrators to establish a health technology assessment unit independent from IHPP, known as the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), in 2007. HITAP was led by Dr Yot Teerawattananon. Like its sister organization IHPP, the HITAP sought collaborations with domestic and international partners and made serious attempts to strengthen the country’s capacity in economic analysis, program evaluation, outcome research and other related fields. This was meant to help producing quality evidence to inform policies in the health sector.
Capacity building
The ThaiHealth Global Link Initiative Program (TGLIP) on Capacity Building in Global Health was managed by IHPP. The goal of this program was to build up and strengthen capacity in global health through training programs, academic networks and the preparedness of human resources and their capacity for the best functioning in the involvement of global health forums.
2006
January
Establishment
Human Resource for Health Research and Development Office (HRDO), led by Dr Thinnakorn Noree, was established in 2006 under Human Resources for Health (HRH) Development Program of Health System Research Institute (HSRI) then HRDO had moved to IHPP in 2007. The HRDO has been involved in setting direction of HRH policies in many policy platforms, such as formulation of health workforce chapter of the Thai National Health Charter and drafting 10-year national HRH strategic plan. HRDO contributes to evidence informed HRH policies at local, national, regional and global levels. Moreover, HRDO conductes many researches on HRH planning. Some results were put into policies, such as physician production plan in the next 10 years and reforming of the health professional education and training.
2005
August
Network
The proposal for establishment of the Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health (AAAH) was adopted by the workshop on “The Asian Action Learning Network on Human Resources for Health” held in Bangkok on 3-5 August 2005. Subsequently, the AAAH was formally established in 2006 with 15 founding member countries across Asia and Pacific.
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IHPP serves as the host organization and technical secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health (AAAH)
The proposal for establishment of the Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health (AAAH) was adopted by the workshop on “The Asian Action Learning Network on Human Resources for Health” held in Bangkok on 3-5 August 2005. Subsequently, the AAAH was formally established in 2006 with 15 founding member countries across Asia and Pacific.

The AAAH is a regional partnership mechanism established to raise the international recognition of the need for regional action, and strengthen country health workforce planning and action. Currently, the AAAH is comprised of 18 members including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, where IHPP served as the secretariat of AAAH. The 5 priority actions of AAAH are the following: HRH advocacy, information monitoring, capacity strengthening, knowledge generation, and technical coordination.
January
Establishment
The IHPP Foundation, registered as a non-profit foundation, was established by the International Health Policy Program (IHPP) on April 8th, 2005. The IHPP Foundation, with its own legal status, supports the work of the IHPP. The Foundation, however, has independent relationship from the MOPH, though IHPP is a research program and part of the Bureau of Health Policy and Strategy, MOPH. The board of the foundation is made up of: Professor Tada Yipintsoi as the chairperson, Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert as the vice chairperson, and several independent individuals.
People
Since the IHPF was officially established, Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien was appointed as the Secretary-General of the Foundation.
2004
January
Establishment
BOD Thailand produces population-based burden of disease indicators to support priority setting, and policy formulation with the goal of health system improvement at national and regional levels. BOD Thailand, led by Dr Kanitta Bundhamcharoen, Bureau of Policy and Strategy, started in 2001, later became a research program under the IHPP since 2004; it was sustained and gradually institutionalized.
2003
January
People
Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien became the second Director of IHPP from September 2003 to October 2010.
More details
Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien was appointed as the second Director of IHPP
Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien became the second Director of IHPP from September 2003 to October 2010.

Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien became the second Director of IHPP from September 2003 to October 2010.
Event
The external program evaluation of IHPP was planned when it had achieved 2.5 years (January 2001 to June 2003). The overall objective of the external evaluation was to assess the performance of the IHPP according to the MOU of January 2001 and provide broad guiding direction for the next three years (January 2004-December 2007) on the setting of priorities for the future global health capacity building mission of IHPP, and its programmatic and financial sustainability.
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External Program Evaluation of International Health Policy Program (IHPP), Thailand
The external program evaluation of IHPP was planned when it had achieved 2.5 years (January 2001 to June 2003). The overall objective of the external evaluation was to assess the performance of the IHPP according to the MOU of January 2001 and provide broad guiding direction for the next three years (January 2004-December 2007) on the setting of priorities for the future global health capacity building mission of IHPP, and its programmatic and financial sustainability.

In order to fulfill the mission of the new IHPP, the capacities had to be scaled up substantially, building on the country’s global health policy towards bilateral and multilateral cooperation as well as the systematic approach to international health capacity strengthening in the past. The proposed activities had to be based on a long-term plan of 10 years that must focus on the strategy for implementation of the program.The governance structure of the new IHPP as an autonomous body with a legal status, management, and appropriate financial sustainability were recommended by external peer review team.
2001
January
Establishment
With outstanding outcome from SRS phase 1 (1998-2001), Dr Viroj received the 2nd SRS program grant (2001-2004) from Thailand Research Fund. Coincide with the 2nd SRS program grant, it is an opportune time to institutionalize long term capacity building in health system and policy research for Thailand by establishing IHPP The IHPP was established under the MOU between the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) signed on 8th January 2001 for a period of three years from January 2001 to February 2004. The IHPP mission encompasses two major areas: (1) Strengthening health policy and systems research capacity (2) International health policy development
People
Dr. Suwit Wibulpolprasert who served as Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand from 2000-2003, was the founders of IHPP. In 2001, Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert was appointed by the Ministry of Public Health as the first director of IHPP.
Capacity building
The program in Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR), an institutional grant, was financed by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF). This was the second program headed by Dr Viroj Tangcharoensathien, for the period between December 2001 and November 2004. However, this Program was eventually integrated with the International Health Policy Program (IHPP). Since its integration of the SRS Program, the IHPP has encouraged incorporation of its research into policy decisions at national and international levels. As a research unit, along with the other research institutes, the IHPP generates scientific evidence and inform policy, either directly or through a range of advocacy organizations.
Capacity building
The WHO Country Office and the IHPP were jointly managing the long term fellowship program, with a vision to groom top level health policy and system researchers, with the focus on doctoral training abroad.
Policy uptake
Dr Viroj Tangcharoensathien and his team proposed the annual capitation budget of UCS, which was 1,202.4 Baht (US$35.40) per capita, and supported the National Health Security Office to negotiate UCS budget with the Bureau of Budget, the Ministry of Finance.