Third International Health Forum for Defense of People’s Health
16 - 17 January 2004, Mumbai
In January 2004, the International Forum for Defense of People’s Health (IHF for short) was organised by the global People’s Health Movement and locally hosted by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan in Mumbai. Over 700 health experts and activists from nearly 50 countries attended this two-day forum, organised in continuity with the World Social Forum. There were plenary sessions as well as parallel sessions on a range of issues like ‘Confronting the challenge of globalisation through health work’, ‘Globalisation and Health’, ‘Health under War, Occupation and Militarisation’, ‘Health Care and the Marginalised’, ‘Globalisation and Health Policy’, ‘Globalisation, Poverty, Hunger and Health’, ‘Traditional and Alternative systems of Medicine’ and other contemporary health issues. The Forum culminated in the adoption of the Mumbai Declaration voicing a range of concerns regarding people’s health around the globe.
IHF was a unique global event aimed at sharing international experiences and perspective on a large range of health concerns. Representatives from WHO, Geneva and WHO SEARO participated in the event and made presentations on topics such as the ‘3 by 5’ initiative on HIV-AIDS and ‘PRSPs and Health’.
Background
People’s movements across the world are working to identify and demonstrate that the path to sustainable development and social and economic justice does not lie in neo-liberal globalization but in alternative models for people-centered and self-reliant progress. The World Social Forum developed as a response of the growing international movement questioning the neo-liberal economic policies being pursued in most countries and imperialist globalization.
In 2001, 2002 and 2003 the World Social Forum, held in Porto Allegre, Brazil, has explored and proposed such alternatives, and questioned the rules of governance and investment being set by the World Economic Forum. The people’s argument is that Another World Is Possible. It is an argument based on both vision and
reality.
In 2004, for the first time, the World Social forum moved out of Porto Allegre, to Mumbai in India. The World Social forum in Mumbai was organized between 16-21 January, 2004. The WSF2004 focused not only on the impact but also the processes of neo-liberal globalization that is creating a small global, ‘over-class’ and a vast, increasingly marginalized and vulnerable under-class in every country. Every part of the process sought to draw out people’s perceptions regarding the impact of neo-liberal economic policies and their attendant divisiveness on their daily lives.
In 2002 and 2003 it had been the practice to organize a “International Forum for Defense of People’s Health” just before the World Social Forum. In 2003 the Peoples Health Movement participated in this forum in a modest way.
At the time of the World Health Assembly in May 2003, the Steering Group of the Peoples Health Movement met to chalk out a calendar of activities for the year. It was decided to take the responsibility of organizing the “IIIrd International Forum for Defense of People’s Health” at YMCA in Mumbai on 14-15 January 2004, just prior to the organization of the World Social Forum.
The Forum is an opportunity to bring together participants at the WSF2004 who are working in the area of Health. This would help to focus on the impact of neo-liberal globalization on health care and health policy making and ensure that these issues are fore-grounded at the World Social Forum itself. Moreover, this would also be an opportunity for PHM activists from Asia and Africa, who may not be able to participate in the IInd People’s Health Assembly in large numbers due to the high costs of travel, to contribute to the process of evolving alternatives that the PHM is engaged in. The Forum, thus, while having an international character and vision, is likely to see a strong Asian
participation.
The Forum is not designed to be a “mini-Peoples Health Assembly”, but would rather seek to focus more concretely and specifically on the multi-faceted challenges posed by globalization to health care across the world and focus on campaigns, Programme initiatives and policy advocacy efforts that are evolving as a countervailing movement with a focus of Health for All Now
Pre IHF Activities
People's Health Movement Steering Group and Strategy Planning meetings
These were held on 12th and 13th of January prior to the International Health Forum in which the the steering and support committee members of PHM participated. Some of the important decisions taken during these deliberations are
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To build the movement further and in a more regional and decentralised way - a process of greater regional capacitation was discussed
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The People's Health Assembly - 2 would now be held in Quito, Ecuador in July 2005 and not in Porto Allegre, Brazil in July 2004 as earlier decided and an idea draft of the Assembly would be put up in these sections soon
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It was also decided that in January 2005 the IV International Health Forum for the Defense of People's Health would be held before the next World Social Forum at Porto Allegre, Brazil, concentrating on the issues concerning the Health Policies and Health system issues
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The PHM Global Secretariat would be shifting from Bangalore, India to a new region by early 2005 with a transition period of nearly 3 months for the shift. Various regions will be exploring the opportunity to host the secretariat during this year
Participation
Nearly 700 participants from 44 countries from both health and non-health backgrounds actively participated in the events of the Forum. Some of the important features were the presence of representatives from new countries such as Cuba and Costa Rica and the fact that a large number of the participants were less than 40 years of age. The World Health Organization had officially sent a 5 member team as delegates to IHF
Events during the Forum
The Health Forum was characterised by diverse events with plenaries, workshops, cultural events etc., on both the days. Testimonies and case Studies were introduced into most of the sessions and in this way efforts were made to make the sessions more focused on actual realities and moves towards action. The case studies were not only focused on problems and situation analysis but also on actions / campaigns taken up by PHM and other activists
Plenaries
6 plenaries were held on the following themes
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Overview on Confronting the Challenge of Globalisation through Health Work: Perspective, Struggles and Strategies
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Globalisation, Health Policies and Health Sector Reforms
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Health under War, Occupation and Militarisation
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HIV/AIDS; Confronting the Crisis
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Women, Population policies and violence
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Health Care and the Marginalised
Parallel Workshops
14 parallel workshops were held (7 parallel workshops each on 14th and 15th) on the following topics
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Globalisation and Health Policy
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Promoting Synergy: Towards Joint Anti -War Action
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Learning from the Global Tobacco Control Campaign including FCTC
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Liberation Medicine
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Globalisation and Health Sector Reforms
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Health Teams for "Health for All" (Including CHW's)
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Traditional / Alternative Systems of Medicine (ASM) and Primary Health Care
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Key Issues in Women's Health
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Voices of the Unheard - Children, Adolescents and People with Disability
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HIV/AIDS and the resurgence of Communicable diseases
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Globalisation, Poverty, Hunger and Health
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New Economics and its Impact on Medical Practice in India
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Social Determinants of Mental Health and PHM
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Environmental Justice and People's Health - Confronting toxics in our communities
Cultural Programmes
There was an enthusiastic response from all the regions of the world to participate in the cultural events. The events were as varied as music and dance from the Africans, singing of the PHM Song by the delegates from the different regions of the world, Skits and drama by a group of activists from Tamil Nadu, songs and dances from the enthusiastic Bangladeshi delegation, a magic show to expose the superstitions by the Jana Vignana Vedike, Andhra Pradesh. After the closing plenary a film "Health For All" by Dr. Parvez Imam was screened and the event concluded with a "Song of Resistance" from Dr. Parvez Imam.
Release of Publications
A number of publications were released during the IHF by PHM and their associates. Some of the publications released were
a) Newsbrief 10 & 11 - Nov 2003 - The Newsletter by the PHM
b) Health for All Now! Revive Alma Ata, - An Alma Ata Anniversary book release by PHM and its partners
c) HAI News - No. 126 July - Sept. 2003 - The Newsletter from Health Action International
d) Health For All Now! - A book brought out by Jana Swasthya Abhiyan, PHM India
World Health Organization meets the Civil Society
The WHO delegates, Mr. Ian Grubb, Mr. Craig McClure, Ms. Alaka Singh, Mr. Eugenio Villar from WHO Geneva and Mr. Tej Walia from the WHO SEARO participated in the Forum on both the days and heard the testimonies from the grass roots. On 16th January 2004 the delegates of the World Health Organisation had a meeting with a smaller group of PHM members. In a candid discussion between both the sides the apprehensions and doubts of the Civil Society and the problems with the policies of the WHO till date including the latest 3 x 5 initiative was made clear to the WHO group. At the end of the meeting it was decided to continue the dialogue and also to identify the possible areas in which WHO and the PHM could work together to bring comprehensive Primary Health Care back into Health Policies .
