BUILDING ALLIANCES: DR. MAURICIO HERNÁNDEZ ÁVILA - BY JOSE LUIS CASTRO
Mexico was a country where smoking was widely tolerated when Dr. Mauricio Hernández Ávila, then Undersecretary of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, took on the challenge of developing and implementing a tobacco control programme.
Industry attacks were fierce; funding was scarce, even some in his own government tried to undermine his plan. Dr. Hernández quickly understood that neither ministerial decree nor going it alone would suffice to overcome the obstacles before him. Slowly, steadily, with little money, he assembled and published research to educate the public about the true costs of smoking. He built and nurtured alliances – with supporters in the legislative branch, and with his country’s pro- tobacco control nongovernment organisations.
He persevered, and this strategy – supported by a strong media campaign to counter the industry’s attacks – led to strong measures enacted in 2010.
Dr. Hernández understood both the power and the challenges of working in partnerships with groups in the nongovernmental sector. “Identify your allies and give them the information they need to become leaders,” he advises.
But understand, too, that advocacy groups can be less sympathetic to delay and compromise. To work effectively with them, public health leaders in government have to identify and emphasize the larger goals and areas of common interest, as Dr. Hernández did successfully.
“You have to have a tolerance for disagreement,” he reminds us. “You have to remember that they are helping you, and that they are doing their job, even if you don’t like all of it.”
Building effective alliances is not a skill that most public health workers were born with or educated in. Many of us came to this calling from a medical or scientific background, not one in management and business. Yet we are frequently required to develop and exercise these skills in order to achieve our goals.
It is for this reason that The Union’s IMDP course offerings – including one on Influencing, Networking and Partnership – exist: to teach and reinforce the essential skills of management.
Dr. Hernández is in some ways typical of those who rose to leadership from a medical background. Training in pathology, he was sent on a nutrition project to a village in mountainous rural Mexico where marginalized, indigenous people lacked safe water and adequate nutrition. The project demonstrated success in helping the village children grow stronger and healthier.
Dr. Hernández was hooked by the experience. He changed direction to pursue a career in public health: “When you are working at the community level,” he says, “the impact is wider. You can become a more relevant person.”
Dr. Mauricio Hernández embodies much of the best of the public health profession: a passion for making a difference, fused with the courage to take risks and the capacity to focus on – and drive onward for – the larger goal of a healthier, safer, world.
His advice to those who want to make a similar impact:
“Teamwork. It is very important to listen to your people, so they feel you are taking into account what they can provide. Be clear on objectives and in your communication. Take risks. If leaders don’t take risks, they are not really leaders.”
Well said, Dr. Hernández.