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People's
Charter for Health
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Background
to the People's Charter for Health
In
1978, at the Alma-Ata
Conference,
ministers from 134 countries in association with WHO and UNICEF called
for 'Health for All by the Year 2000' and selected Primary Health Care
as the best tool to achieve it. (Copies of the Alma-Ata
Declaration
are also available online in Spanish
and French.)
Unfortunately, that dream never came true. The health status of Third
World populations has not improved. In many cases it has deteriorated
further. Currently, we are facing a global health crisis, characterised
by growing inequalities within and between countries. New threats to
health are continually emerging. This is compounded by negative forces
of globalisation which prevent the equitable distribution of resources
necessary for people's health, particularly the poor.
Within the health sector, failure to implement the principles of
primary health, care as set out in the Alma-Ata declaration, has
significantly aggravated the global health crisis. Governments and the
international community are fully responsible for this failure.
It is now essential to build a concerted international effort to put
the goal of Health for All in its rightful place on the development
agenda. Genuine, people-centred initiatives must be strengthened to
increase pressure on decision makers, governments and the private
sector to ensure that the vision of Alma-Ata becomes a reality.
Several international organisations and civil society movements,
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and women's groups decided to
work together towards this objective. This group, together with others
committed to the principles of primary health care and people's
perspectives organised the People's
Health Assembly,
which took place form 4-8 December 2000 in Bangladesh, at Savar, on the
campus of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK - People's Health Centre).
1453 participants from 92 countries came to Assembly which was the
culmination of 18 months of preparatory action around the globe. The
preparatory process elicited unprecedented enthusiasm and participation
of a broad cross section of people who have been involved in thousands
of village meetings, district level workshops and national gatherings.
At the Assembly, they reviewed their problems and difficulties, shared
their experiences and plans, and formulated and endorsed the People's Charter for Health.
The Charter is now the common tool of a worldwide citizen's movement
committed to making the Alma-Ata dream a reality. We encourage and
invite everyone who shares our concerns and aims to join us by endorsing the Charter.
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