World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Occupational Health
The School of Public Health (SPH) and Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences at the University of Haifa received designation in 2023 as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center, with a specialization in Occupational Health. Under this designation, the SPH joins the broader international consortium of Collaborating Centers in becoming a partner of the WHO in executing its programs and objectives.
What is a World Health Organization Collaborating Center?
As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), a collaborating center is an institution that is appointed by the Director-General of WHO to be recognized internationally in carrying out specific tasks aligned with the Organization’s global agenda. The roles of WHO collaborating centers can include research training, development and application of technology, promotion of research, and coordination of activities for a subject in which more than one WHO collaborating center is involved. WHO collaborating centers include research institutes and academic universities, often working in conjunction with other collaborating centers in enabling the dissemination and exchange of information to strengthen the validity of their work on a global health level.
Being recognized as a WHO collaborating center also provides more visibility and attention for public health issues occurring within the host country, and the opportunity to create and improve national health resources for the host population. Today, there are over 800 WHO collaborating centers who work together with WHO on projects related to occupational health, nutrition, technology, and nursing.
More information about WHO collaborating centers can be found below:
https://www.who.int/about/collaboration/collaborating-centres
University of Haifa SPH’s Collaborating Center
The focus of the University of Haifa WHO CC is to support the WHO’s global public health agenda by:
1. Assisting the WHO in its activities related to coordinating the technical work of the global network of WHO collaborating centers for occupational health.
2. Contributing to WHO’s work in promoting healthier, safer and more resilient workplaces for all.
3. Supporting WHO in its activities related to advancing health promoting workplaces globally.
Our Collaborating Center brings together nine experts in Public Health from the University of Haifa accomplish six distinct activities in support of the WHO’s global agenda:
Why WHO is asking for this activity?: WHO maintains a global network of collaborating centres for occupational health and stimulates individual institutions to work together in implementing activities under their workplans in synergy to achieve common objectives set by the WHO. Improving accessibility and visibility of each centers’ work is essential for promoting cooperation and collaboration in shared Occupational Health goals.
What concrete actions will be taken? As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Develop and manage a virtual platform for the global network of WHO collaborating centres for occupational health to share news, experiences and stimulate collaborative activitiesDevelop a survey to asses the work carried out by global network of WHO collaborating centres for occupational health in relation to COVID-19. The institution will draft a report on the outcomes of the survey and submit it for WHO’s review.Develop and organize an online training workshop on networking for results and ways of working of the global network of WHO collaborating centres for occupational health.Update publications and create annual newsletters to raise awareness about the activities of the global network of WHO collaborating centres for occupational health
Staff Members:
Dr. Yonah Amster
Email: eamster@post.harvard.edu
Prof. Manfred Green
Email: manfred.s.green@gmail.com
Prof.. Shira Zelber-Sagi
Email: zelbersagi@bezeqint.net
Why WHO is asking for this activity? The WHO is developing a global framework for healthy, safe and resilient workplaces to assist policymakers, stakeholders and actors in promoting all aspects of health and wellbeing in the workplace. An important step in achieving this vision is understanding the health implications across a diversity of work. Teleworking is an important, growing, and understudied occupational health setting that requires investigation and the further development of guidelines and tools.
What concrete actions will be taken?
As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Conduct a review of evidence and good practices in occupational health and safety for teleworkers. Draft and submit a report on the findings for WHO’s review and consideration.Develop an interactive online platform for assessment of health risks and preventive measures for teleworking, pilot and validate it through the global network of WHO collaborating centres for occupational health and prepare technical report.Analyze and share lessons learned from carrying out the analysis from this activity, and submit a report on it for WHO’s review and approval.
Staff Members
Dr. Joana Geiger
Email: jgeiger@staff.haifa.ac.il
Why WHO is asking for this activity? As part of the WHO’s global framework for promoting healthy, safe and resilient workplaces, it is important to develop evidence-based approaches to managing chronic mental and physical disabilities in the workplace. An important step in achieving this goal is developing effective personalized interventions to assess chronic pain and mental health in the workplace.
What concrete actions will be taken
As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Review of evidence on the prevalence and associated risk factors of mental health and chronic pain conditions, utilizing digital health methodology. Draft and submit a report on the findings for WHO’s review.Develop technical guidance documents for workers’ health protection and promotion and prosing the use of digital technology methodology.Create information materials for vulnerable worker subpopulations such as refugees, and promotion of cultural awareness.Develop training workshops on psychoeducational approaches for treatment and prevention of such conditions.Develop a report investigating the mechanisms of chronic pain and mental health in the occupational setting. Draft and submit a report on the findings for WHO’s review.Analyze and share lessons learned from carrying out the analysis of this activity, and submit a report on it for WHO’s review.
Staff Members
Dr. Pavel Goldstein
Email: goldsteinpav@gmail.com
Why WHO is asking for this activity? As part of the WHO’s global framework for promoting healthy, safe and resilient workplaces, it is important to develop evidence-based approaches to social determinants of health and health behaviors in the workplace.
What concrete actions will be taken?
As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Provide technical input to WHO that may inform WHO’s work in developing a global strategy for promoting health and wellbeing at the workplace (including telework).Review of scientific evidence and good practices in promoting healthy choices and healthy behaviors at the workplace, focusing on nutrition, physical activity, stress, tobacco and alcohol consumption, sleep, using a participatory methodology across regions, and adapting the Health Belief Model for workplaces, workers and their families. The institution will develop guidance and recommendation and draft and submit a report on the findings for WHO’s review.Prepare a technical brief or health communication and health literacy for working populations and submit it for WHO’s review.
Staff Members
Dr. Diane Levin-Zamir
Email: diamos@zahav.net.il
Why WHO is asking for this activity? WHO has issued the 11th Revision of ICD and is developing guides for its’ use in different specialties. WHO will use this activity to inform the development of a guide for the use of ICD-11 in occupational health practice to facilitate the monitoring of environmental determinants of health.
What concrete actions will be taken?
As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Develop a technical brief outlining a standard reference for the monitoring and reporting of occupational diseases, and assessment of interventions.Develop a report for WHO’s consideration on needs and expectations of occupational health users of ICD-11.Develop and organize training workshops on ICD-11 in occupational health practice.
Staff Members
Prof. Lital Kienan Boker
Email: lkeinan@univ.haifa.ac.il
Why WHO is asking for this activity? As part of the WHO’s global framework for promoting healthy, safe and resilient workplaces, it is important to develop evidence-based approaches to address climate-change associated impacts to workplace health and safety.
What concrete actions will be taken?
As requested by WHO and under its guidance, the School of Public Health’s Collaborating Center will perform the following activities:
Review of scientific evidence and good practices in occupational health and safety in climate change adaptation strategiesProvide recommendations and guidance for workers’ active health protection and promotion before/during extreme weather events.Establish a surveillance and preparedness system in managing health risks associated with climate change related risksDevelop of an online training tool for public health and occupational health practitioners to train on approaches to promote healthier, safer and more resilient workplaces, in particular in the context of climate related public health emergencies.
Staff Members
Dr. Eli Rosenberg
Email: eli.rosenberg@moh.gov.il
Dr. Jonathan Dunov
For more information about the University of Haifa WHO collaborating centre, please contact the Centre director Dr. Yonah Amster (eamster@post.harvard.edu)
