MUConnect MPHNewsletter Mahidol University MPH International program January 2016 M Faculty of Public Health P Mahidol University H Message from the Dean

Dear Alumni and friends,

The world has never needed more of what Mahidol University School of Public Health can offer, and we have never been more ready to deliver a better future which calls on challenges of health, environment and sustainability. Public health challenges are no longer just local, national or regional. They are global. They are no longer just within the domain of public health specialists. They are among the key challenges to our societies.

As alumni and friends of MUMPH, you all are parts of this boundless future. Each one of you is in some way connected to our Faculty’s remarkable vision for education. This makes us unique and uniquely positioned to move boldly forward. I know that each of you has many exciting things happening in your lives, and we would love to hear what you've been up to. This e-newsletter is designed to provide you a chance to catch up on MUMPH news and upcoming events, and keep in touch with friends and educators. I encourage you to explore this e-newsletter, to engage in the new online community we are creating and to contribute our boundless vision and our unique opportunity to fulfill MUPH destiny as public health professional.

Sincerely yours,

Associate Professor Dr. Prayoon Fongsatitkul Dean, Faculty of Public Health Mahidol University Welcome Message from MPH international program Director Dear Alumni, Mahidol University MPH International program.

I would like to welcome you to newsletter of the Mahidol University, MPH International Alumni. The newsletter is designed to provide you a place to catch up on alumni and university news and upcoming events, keep in touch with friends and professors, and learn about our Alumni Association in the country and their activity.

I know that each of you has many exciting things happening in your lives, both professionally and personally, and we would love to hear what you've been up to. So drop us a note, send us an email and make sure to join our Facebook page and follow us on our new website.

The Mahidol University, Faculty of Public Health knows that our thousand of graduates help make us one of the region's best university. We are proud of all alumni for their contribution to improve better health and provide quality of life to the marginalized community. It is important to us that you stay informed, in touch and interested. While we have accomplished much together, the best is yet to come.

Sincerely yours,

Associate Professur Dr. Sukhontha Kongsin MPH Program Director Faculty of Public Health Mahidol University, Thailand Mahidol for Nepal MPH office support to Nepal The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed 8,891 earthquake victim MPH alumni people and injured more than 23,000. It occurred at 11:56 Nepal Standard Time on 25 MPH program committee, faculty of Public April, with a magnitude of 7.8. Total 591,647 Health, Mahidol University had provided houses 765 health and administrative facilities 100,000 Baht support to two Nepalese MPH were completely destroyed by the earthquake. alumni who have been affected by the Mahidol University in coordination with Mahidol magnitude-7.8 earthquake on April 25 which. university Nepalese alumni had provided health camp and medicine services to the earthquake The donation was provided by Prof. Prayoon effected community. Health camp was jointly Fongsatitkul, Dean Faculty of Public Health, conducted with Ministry of Publich health Mahidol University to Nepalese MPH alumni Thailand. representative Manash Shrestha (MPH 2013), in the presence of MPH program committee and respected Ajahns. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sukhontha Kongsin, Director of MPH international Program had initiated the alumni support fund.

MPH Graduation news MPH Graduation Ceremony 2014 (23 June, 2015)

Orientation MPH 2015 Orientation at Pattaya (24 – 26 July 2015) Visit at a Library at Salaya campus.

Wat Pra Keaw & Vimanmak Mansion (5 September 2015)

Orientation at Pattaya MU International Night 2015 (15 January 2016)

Week of Synthesis 2015 (14 - 19 November, 2015) at Yot Phra Phimon Health Promoting Hospital, Sai Noi District, Province

Orientation at Pattaya MPH 2015 International Students from 7 Countries 1 Bangladesh 2

2 Bhutan 1

3 Indonesia 1

4 Japan 2

5 Myanmar 16

6 Nepal 1

7 Philippines 1

Total 24 MPH 2015

Research news

1. Mahidol MPH 2010 alumni involvement in Yellow Fever outbreak containment in Sudan The Mahidol university Master program is believed to contribute in capacity building of health personnel including Sudanese. Mahidol University MPH program helped people in the health crisis and the affected areas by producing well trained public health personnel who is ready to take the responsibility and work efficiently in team widening scope of prevention and control of the diseases by translating scientific knowledge into practice.

After my MPH graduation, I had chance to supervise Yellow Fever outbreak investigation in Darfur state of Sudan in 2012, which made me realize my improved quality and capacity after attending the Mahidol MPH course.

Onset febrile disease, hemorrhagic manifestations and jaundice was reported from the Nertiti locality of Central Darfur state Sudan. The outbreak was reported as a suspicion of hemorrhagic fever. A rapid response team to conduct field outbreak investigation verified the diagnosis and to assess the initial needs in the fragile newly made Central Darfur state.

The team visited affected area and the surrounding villages, conducted the standard outbreak investigation steps including active case finding, serological surveys, entomological surveys in addition to the clinical and laboratory records revision. The collected blood samples were tested and the diagnosis of Yellow Fever outbreak was established. Sudan ministry of health with the support of all health sector partners immediately started large scale intervention plan. Interventions involved case management, vector control, health education and the specific mass vaccination campaigns in addition to the overall coordination and monitoring activities.

Rapid Response Teams members from FMOH were fully involved and contributed significantly in all activities that carried out to tackle the outbreak including strengthen the surveillance system, vector control activities and mass YF vaccination campaign in affected areas.

Abdalla Mohammed, Sudan Mahidol MPH alumni Research news 2. For better public health in Japan and the world: activities of recent alumni from Japan activities of the Japanese alumni (2012-2014). Drs. Zakoji (2012-graduate) and Kato (2014) are working in Saku Central Hospital which is internationally famous for the huge effort into both rural and global health. The unique hospital just launched a project into improvement of health in Kayah State, Myanmar, bordering on the east with Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province. The young doctors are playing the essential role with our Myanmar alumni. Dr. Zakoji introduces their belief on rural and global health in a TEDxSaku presentation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0FxgLshiE4). Dr. Tamura (2013) goes around the world after returning to the Maritime Self-Defense Force. As of Mar. 2015, the navy surgeon is on board of an ice-breaking ship to support the Antarctic research expedition party. Dr. Ota (2013) is an associate professor in Fujita Health University School of Medicine and currently teaching and conducting public health research. The ex-student recently wrote a paper with his former professor (Sci Rep 2014; 4: 6402).

Alumni involvement in Southeast Asia activities: Ms. Sei Morgan (2014) has continued to support and improve rural Cambodian's health through water, sanita- tion, and hygiene with Water for Cambodia and The Lake Clinic Cambodia (local NGOs) as a board member and a technical advisor. Ms. Suzuki (2014) remains in Thailand as a staff in Mae Tao Clinic, Mae Sot. The devoted nurse supports improvement of Myanmar migrants’ health at the Thailand-Myanmar border with our Myanmar alumni. Many Japanese students are also studying in faculty of tropical medicine. The former and the present Japanese students of the Faculty of Public Health and Tropical Medicine have together established a Facebook page “Mahidol Japanese Alumni group” to encourage their communication (see photo). What we learned in Mahidol will remains in us. Always, forever 3. Article for MPH International Alumni Newsletter

After graduating from Mahidol University M.P.H international program, I got an opportunity to work in HIV issues of MSM at the HIV Foundation Asia, Thailand. I ran several campaigns such as HIV awareness raising campaign and fundraising cam- paign for MSM living with HIV. I am also involved in several researches regarding HIV among key populations in Myanmar. HIV Foundation Asia conducts HIV prevention and testing outreach activities for both Thai and migrant MSM in Thai- land. We also manage the care and support activi- ties for people living with HIV. As a medical doctor and public health professional, I describe the gay right issues as well as the HIV health concerns. I had an opportunity to represent Myanmar at Mr. Gay World Contest. This was aimed to show the role models for gay society to the Photo| Upper and Middle,left to right: Drs. Zakoji world; and choose the advocates for gay rights from the world. In this event, I had chance to speak with (2012-graduate), Ota, Tamura (2013), and Kato, Ms. media about MSM and Gay right in Myanmar while Sei Morgan, and Ms. Suzuki (2014). Lower: The Gay rights are still not acknowledged. Facebook page “Mahidol Japanese Alumni group.” By: Atsuhiko Ota, Masahiro Zakoji, Kaku Tamura, Takuma Kato, Mieko Sei Morgan, and Midori Suzuki

Dr. Sai Pye Myo Kyaw MPH alumni 2011, Mahidol Universtiy Asia Regional Manager, The HIV Foundation Asia

On the Grand-Finale night of Mr. Gay World Contest Research news 4. HIV/AIDS among Migrant Worker in Thailand Shreehari Acharya, MPH 2010

Thailand has been a hub for migration in Greater Mekong Sub-region for a long time, particularly for labour migrants from the three neighboring countries Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR. It is estimated that 3 million migrants are working in Thailand. Around 1.3 million migrants are working legally with the work permit, rest are undocumented. In total, 75 percent migrants are from Myanmar, 15 percent from Cambodia, and 10 percent from Lao PDR (Ministry of Labor, Thailand 2013).

Although HIV prevalence is generally decreasing over time, the prevalence among migrants in certain provinces is still high, notably in urban and border areas and border provinces. There was also higher prevalence found among those who have been in Thailand for over five years (IBBS, 2010). According to the Thailand AIDS response progress report 2012, the HIV prevalence among general migrants was 2.1 percent in 2011 which is double than the Thai adult population (www.avert.org).

Data from different geographic areas of Thailand shows increased HIV prevalence among migrant from Lao to 0.81 percent in 2012 compared to 0.51 percent in 2010. If we see by occupation prevalence is higher among migrant work in the seafood processing 2.34 percent and deep-sea fishing 1.96 percent (IBBS 2012).

Fishermen are especially high risk mobile population with having high-risk sexual behaviors. There are still reports of inconsistent condom use among this population. Fishermen changes ports seasonally and may visit multiple sex partners increasing vulnerability.

Thai Government extended the national health insurance policy to allow all migrant workers and their families, regardless of their documentation status; to purchase health insurance this includes ART. However, there are still several barriers preventing migrants from enrolling in and benefiting from this system. More than 2,200 migrants were on ART under the government program in Thailand.

5. Adverse Life Experiences, Physical Health and Quality of Life among Elderly People in Bhutan Bhutan is a small Kingdom located in between the two most populous countries of the world, China in the north and India in the south, east and west. In recent years, Bhutan became well known for its promotion on the concept of “Gross National Happiness.” Although Bhutan claims to be one of the happiest nations in South and South-east Asia, there is limited evidence for this claim. One nationwide happiness survey in 2010 indicated that 41% of the Bhutanese population either extensively or extremely happy, and many others were moderately happy. However, Bhutan has not been ranked among the top countries globally in several World Happiness Reports.

As elsewhere, Bhutanese elderly are traditionally held in high esteem because of their wide experiences in life, as head of the family, and as effective mediators in conflict resolution. However, with globalization and increasing urbanization, there has been much social change. More and more Bhutanese are moving to urban centers looking for better economic future, and this migration poses threats to vulnerable elderly people who are left to fend for themselves in villages without close extended family support. The social changes may be diminishing community cohesion and cooperation in Bhutan, as they have in many countries. The focus of my PhD project in Bhutan is to understand the links between adverse lifetime experiences and health and well being of older people. We completed face-to-face interviews with 337 older people (aged between 60 and 101 years) in four geographic regions. We used standard measurements like the WHO Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) International Questionnaire and measures of stress recent life experiences, the WHO Index of Wellbeing and physical health checklists. A sequential mixed methods approach included Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and in-depth one-to-one interviews with 54 elderly people to garner contextual information.

The analysis is still in early stage following completion of data collection in early 2015. Forced labor during childhood and having periods of early life where the families were unable to meet basic necessities for life were the common ACEs, while death of close family members including children was the most common serious recent stressor. Preliminary indications are that both current physical and mental health are associated with adverse childhood experi- ences (even though they occurred up to 50 or more years before the survey) and recent stressful events also appear to impact on health. We have paid careful attention to measuring older people’s social connectedness and spirituality, and will examine whether they may serve to protect the health of older people in Bhutan.

Contributed by Nidup Dorji is an MPH graduate from Mahidol, and currently is a PhD student at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia “Conducting Focus Group Discussion among Senior Citizens of Bhutan”

Mr Nidup Dorji is the Mahidol University MPH Alumni graduated in the year 2010. Currently, he is a PhD Candidate at the School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Following graduation from Mahidol University and prior to commencement of his PhD journey, he served as lecturer at the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Science of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan.

Scholarship information and web link - ADB (http://www.adb.org/countries/thailand/main) - TICA (http://www.tica.thaigov.net/main/th/home) - Australian government (http://www.australia.gov.au/) - KAAD (http://www.kaadbonn.de/) - WHO (http://www.who.int/en/) Sabina Wagle, Nepal Alumni highlight

2012 MPH Alumna is currently working with the Raks Thai Foundation Thailand. Sabina is also doing Dr.PH on Flobal Health at Mahidol University Faculty of Public health. Farooq Rind, Pakistan

2010 MPH Alumni, currently working with WHO Pakistan Dr. Myo Thiha Zaw, Myanmar as an area Coordinator for immunization 2010 MPH Alumnus currently doing his PhD in Tropical Medicine. He is also an Assistant Lecturer in Department of Preventive and Contact us Social Medicine, Defense Services Medical Academy, Mingaladon, Yangon, Myanmar. MPH International Office floor 5, Building 7, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University 420/1 Ratchawithi Rd., Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400. Thailand MU Tel/Fax: (+662) 3548555 www.mphmahidol.com MPH