1.4.3 Programmes for services access
Metric: Community anti-poverty programmes
Organize training or programmes to improve access to basic services for all.
SBPAC and PSU Faculty of Nursing, Pattani Campus, Organize the Southern Border Provinces’ Mother and Child Academic Fair to Tackle Child Malnutrition
On July 10, 2024, the Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, in collaboration with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC), organized the Southern Border Provinces Mother and Child Academic Fair at Park in Town Hotel, Mueang District, Pattani Province.
Mrs. Kanokrat Kueakij, Assistant Secretary-General of SBPAC, presided over the opening ceremony. The event was attended by executives and officials from public health agencies, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Provincial Administrative Organizations of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla, as well as representatives from the Southern Border Provinces Educational Development Centers and public health personnel from the four southern provinces.
The fair aimed to enhance the capacity of volunteers** in addressing child health and malnutrition issues in the southern border provinces, as well as to develop service mechanisms and strengthen network management for tackling malnutrition. It also sought to raise the standards of child and family nutrition, promote positive motivation, and encourage collaboration among families, communities, government agencies, local organizations, academics, and civil society in the southern border region.
Assistant Professor Dr. Rohani Je-a-sa, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, PSU Pattani Campus, explained that today’s event was part of the ongoing collaboration between the Faculty and SBPAC to develop the capacity of community nutrition volunteers in addressing child malnutrition and health issues in the southern border provinces. The fair was organized to present evidence-based outcomes of public health initiatives for mothers and children in the region, share communication and research findings, and highlight the results of pilot projects implemented in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla Provinces. In addition, ten ongoing vaccination projects and other related initiatives were presented. The event drew participation from over 400 attendees.
The Assistant Secretary-General of SBPAC emphasized that malnutrition remains one of the most pressing challenges in the southern border provinces, contributing to stunted growth, underweight conditions, and developmental delays among children, some of which may affect cognitive development. While it may not be possible to fully address the root causes—such as family instability, unemployment, low income, and lack of health knowledge—collaboration among all agencies is crucial. She expressed appreciation to all sectors for their efforts in improving maternal and child health and expanding access to basic vaccination coverage for children in the southern border provinces, ensuring that every child can grow up healthy and strong.