Abstract
The National Public Health Committee (NPHC) has made a resolution to establish the Provincial Public Health Sub-Committee (PPHSC) according to the Public Health Law B.E. 2535 operating in all 76 provinces since September B.E. 2557. After reviewing the performance of the PPHSC which found some problems and barriers emerged unable to enforce the PPHSC’s resolutions and orders, the NPHC then set out a correct resolution by adjusting the legal role, authority, and composition of the Committee and including changing name from the Provincial Public Health Sub-Committee (PPHSC) to the Provincial Public Health Committee (PPHC) as revised and enacted by the new Public Health Law (Volume 3) B.E. 2560. The Public Health Law Administration Center of Department of Health and the Faculty of Public Health of Khon Kaen University were then to study the influential success factors and approach in moving forward the implementation of the PPHC.
This research was a cross-sectional descriptive study with three objectives set forth by exploring of; 1) success factors that influencing the achievement of the PPHSC according to its legal role and authority, 2) guidance in moving forward the PPHC’s implementation, and 3) desirable roles of the PPHC according to the Public Health Law B.E. 2560. The researchers collected related quantitative and qualitative data sets from the PPHSC, by selecting the provinces with high performance one province of each region totaling 12 provinces; Chiang Rai, Uttaradit, Kampangpetch, Surin, Sakonnakhon, Roiet, Yasothorn, Prachinburi, Samut Songkram, Ang Thong, Phuket, and Satun. Collection data by using the questionnaire for 234 PPHSC members, making in-depth interviews of the PPHSC chairperson, secretary, and assistant secretary totaling 36 persons, organizing PPHSC consultation meetings of each province, analyzing key information from PPHSC meeting minutes and its performance reports during B.E. 2558-2559. The study was done April to December B.E. 2560. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while the qualitative used content analysis.
The study results revealed the key factors influencing the success of the PPHSC’s performance were; 1) a high valuation of the matter by the provincial governor is the most influential factor, 2) the effective implementation made by the PPHSC secretary by driving the environmental health actions using the PPHSC’s resolutions, 3) if the matter brought to the PPHSC’s meeting agenda as conformation to the national and provincial policies as well as that of highly concerned and interested by national and local public, 4) the provincial local administrative office strongly supported and pushed forward the compliance with the PPHSC’s resolutions, 5) cooperation of local administrative organizations, concerned agencies, and communities in compliance with the PPHSC’s resolutions, 6) technical support from Regional Health Centers and Department of Health.
Guidance on driving the mission and implementation of PPHC according to the Public Health Law (Volume 3) B.E. 2560 were; 1) initiation policy advocacy, 2) strongly technical support to the mission and implementation of PPHC from central and regional agencies, and 3) effective due actions and evaluation in compliance with the PPHC’s resolutions. Recommendations to the desirable roles of the PPHC according to the Public Health Law (Volume 3) B.E. 2560, the desirable roles of PPHSC needed every mission and action conforming to the Articles of the Public Health Law (Volume 3) B.E. 2560 however the desirable roles by this study was not fully meeting the assignment roles by the Public Health Law.
The due enforcement of the Public Health Law (Volume 3) B.E. 2560 on 19 December 2560 onward on the PPHC, the Department of Health as the leading agency in support of compliances to the public health law by driving the PPHC as a key mechanism for driving the provincial environmental health actions, the Department of Health should make use of this research results in building capacity of PPHC, implementing guidance, and future follow-up and evaluation for the improvement of PPHC’s performances.
