Along with Kavita Srivastava, Dipankar and Pranhita (Binayak's brother and daughter), I had a chance to attend the hearings of Binayak's trial on 30 and 31 July at Raipur. As expected we witnessed the bizarre features of this trial which have been already observed by many others - large presence of armed police in and around the court, all entrants to the court being physically searched and checked with metal detectors, Binayak and the other accused (Narayan Sanyal and Piyush Guha) being continuously surrounded by armed police and required to stand in court for long periods of time.

In a joint press release today, health professionals and toxicologist belonging to RESIST Agrochem TNCs (Resistance and Solidarity against Agrochemical TNCs) called on the government on intense danger of Endosulfan and said that people's welfare is in serious jeopardy. The group warns that Endosulfan is a potential catastrophic global disaster.

At the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Alma Ata Conference, Dr. Halfdan Mahler, who used to be the WHO director general at that time, talks about his love affair with the People's Health Movement. (Photo: WHO/Peter Williams)

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The Community Working Group on Health and PHM Zimbabwe posted their analysis of health issues in Zimbabwe. The position paper includes more detailed analysis of the socio-economic background; the main current issues; the role of the state and some specific recommendations towards the realization of the right to health.

Health in Zimbabwe: PHM Zimbabwe Position Paper June 2008

PHM Position Paper on Health in Zimbabwe, posted 14 June 2008. Includes more detailed analysis of the socio-economic background; the main current issues; the role of the state and recommendations from the Community Working Group on Health.

1. Socio-economic background

At Independence in 1980, Zimbabwe inherited some of the worst rural-urban disparities in the provision of social services. In the 1980s, the new national government made commendable progress in redressing these disparities. In healthcare delivery, these efforts

At the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Alma Ata Conference, Dr. Halfdan Mahler, who used to be the WHO director general at that time, talks about his love affair with the People's Health Movement.

Geneva, 25 May (Sangeeta Shashikant) -- The highlight of the 61st World Health Assembly was the adoption of a resolution that strengthens the mandate of the WHO to undertake work on the inter-related issues of public heath, intellectual property, innovation and access to medicines.

The resolution, adopted at the end of the WHA during the plenary session, last Saturday afternoon, covers the Global Strategy (GS) and agreed parts of the Plan of Action (POA) on Public Health, Innovation & Intellectual Property.

Objectives

1.To permit an equitable dialogue among governments, academic institutions, intergovernmental agencies and social, popular and labor movements about the development of universal systems as an alternative for countries and regions
* 2.To strength the existing universal health systems through the share of its historical experiences, achievements and common challenges

Geneva, 29 May (Sangeeta Shashikant) -- Both developed and developing countries vigorously questioned the WHO Secretariat during the WHO's Executive Board meeting on 26 May on its publications policy and called for further discussion on the matter.

Prior to the 61st World Health Assembly (WHA), the Third World Network (TWN) in collaboration with the People's Health Movement (PHM) and Health Action International (HAI) called for a civil society meeting. The meeting was held in Geneva on Sunday 18th May and discussed the civil society contribution during the 61st (19-24 May 2008).
The workshop was participated by around 50 participants from civil society organizations/networks, academic institutions and few official representatives. The discussions can be concluded as follows: