Royal Visit to the Swiss Confederation
Royal Visit to the Swiss Confederation
to Strengthen Cooperation between
Chulabhorn Research Institute and the World Health Organization
in Addressing the Health and Environmental Issues
under the “One Health” Concept
Through the proactive policies of Professor Dr. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol, President of the Chulabhorn Research Institute, Her Royal Highness has been guiding the Chulabhorn Research Institute in its efforts to enhance personnel potential and produce talented personnel in the fields of science and technology where there are shortages at accelerated pace. Her Royal Highness places importance on organizing training courses relevant to the problems of health, environmental health, toxicology, and chemical risk assessment. The Chulabhorn Research Institute has long implemented the royal policies both at the national and regional levels, achieving notable empirical results and gaining international recognition.
Over the years, the President of the Chulabhorn Research Institute has been committed to promoting cooperation with leading international organizations to address the environmental problems impacting people’s health. This commitment is evident in the President’s active meetings participation in and follow-up efforts on the cooperation in toxicology and environmental health with the World Health Organization (WHO). Thanks to the achievements of research and academic work aligned with the President’s policies, particularly the research on environmental health, the Chulabhorn Research Institute has earned international recognition. In 2005, the World Health Organization appointed the Chulabhorn Research Institute as the “WHO Collaborating Centre for Capacity Building and Research in Environmental Health Science and Toxicology” under the operation of “International Center for Environmental Health and Toxicology (ICEHT). Moreover, the electronic Distance Learning Tool (eDLT) was developed to enhance efficiency of chemical risk assessment and management, and training scholarships were provided for students, researchers, and academics both in Thailand and countries in the region.
During the royal visit to the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Swiss Confederation, in March 2024, the President of the Chulabhorn Research Institute attended a meeting to discuss academic cooperation for organizing the 9th Princess Chulabhorn International Science Congress under the topic “THE CHALLENGES OF ONE HEALTH: THE ROLES OF BIOSCIENCES AND CHEMISTRY”. The Congress scheduled for December 15-18, 2024 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, will be held in honor of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty’s 72nd Birthday Anniversary (July 28, 2024). The international conference aims to promote the dissemination and exchange of knowledge, experience, and advancements in research and academic work based on the “One Health” Concept among relevant public health academics, doctors, veterinarians, and scientists from around the world. The event will strengthen the cooperation at national, regional, and international levels to elevate the quality of life and develop environmental health in a sustainable manner.
On this occasion, Her Royal Highness also discussed cooperation in toxicology and environmental health. This issue will be included as key topic on the agenda of the 9th Princess Chulabhorn Congress since Her Royal Highness realizes the urgent need to address the problems of air pollution, particularly the annual increase in PM2.5 levels that seriously affect public health due to the risk of various chronic diseases such as allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attacks, cerebrovascular diseases, and lung cancer, etc.
Furthermore, during the meeting at the WHO in Geneva, Her Royal Highness also touched upon the cooperation to address the problems of rabies in Southeast Asia, an important public health issue in Thailand and worldwide. Her Royal Highness raised the subject of the integrated implementation of Thailand’s policies for surveillance, prevention, and control of rabies in animals, as well as the animal shelter management system under HRH Princess Chulabhorn’s project on “Disease-free Animals, Safe Humans from Rabies” which has seen significant progress. The project aligns with the “One Health” Concept of the World Health Organization which is an approach that aims to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment by integrating these fields to promote overall well-being.
During the meeting, the World Health Organization honored Professor Dr. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol with the title “WHO Champion” or The person with a major leadership role in addressing the problems of rabies in Southeast Asia in cooperation with the World Health Organization. This reflects the international recognition of Her Royal Highness as a leader with a strong commitment and vision for national development, based on her royal foundation to campaign for the promotion of people’s good health and the control of animal epidemics, demonstrating the success of the application of the “One Health” Concept for the development and promotion of sustainable good health for the Thai people and all humankind.
Public Relations, Office of the President
May 14, 2024
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