A View from the Secretariat - Edition 02 - 27th Aug 2004
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Dear Friends,
Continuing with the previous update, this is to keep you
informed about some more of the PHM Activities all over the world.
PHM Mauritius, Africa
Mouvement Sante Communataire (PHM Mauritius) held its
first International Health Forum as an Alma Ata Anniversary initiative on
31st July and 1st August 2004. The Creole and Bhojpuri translations of the
People's Charter for Health were launched. PHM Global was represented by
Prof. David Sanders (PHM South Africa) and Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury (PHM
Bangladesh). A more detailed report will be featured on the Exchange
shortly. [Mr. Jagadish Goburdhun (mscmu@yahoo.co.in)
and Dr. Rudul Boodhun (rudul@intnet.mu)].
PHM Geneva, Europe
Some PHM members and CETIM Geneva are planning a book on
Neo liberal obstacles to Health for All for release at People's Health
Assembly in Ecuador. The book will be action oriented with the aim of
encouraging and mobilizing people through awareness raising of the
neo-liberal obstacles to Health for All and to showing that action can be
taken to counter it by providing examples of success in resistance.
To increase the widest possible representation in the
book, the group may organize workshops on the themes / chapters at PHA II
for inputs, comments and additions.
It will be multi-sectoral in focus and editions in
French, English, Spanish are planned. All PHM members are invited to
contribute and circulate [contact Alison (katza@who.int)
and Claudio (Claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn)
for further details].
PHM Italy, Europe
AIFO Italy, the PHM focal point in Italy and PHM Africa
are inviting articles in English, French, Portuguese, Italian from
activists, NGOs and grass roots organizations based in Africa related to
experience of innovative approaches in community involvement; community
participation; community awareness; improving access and awareness and
health care for disadvantaged groups; and creative methods for health
promotion and strengthening of local organizations.
Articles selected by an International Jury will be part
of a book to be released and distributed at PHA II. The objective is to give
more international voice to health activists in Africa; advocate greater
support; strengthen networking; and enhance involvement of Africa in PHM and
PHA II [For further details contact Sunil Deepak - sunil.deepak@aifo.it].
Karachi, Pakistan
Dr. Kausar Khan, Professor of Social Sciences at Aga Khan
University and a PHM supporter informed us of her recent experience of
teaching the People's Charter for Health and using the Russian version of
the Charter as a discussion document among students in Tajikistan in a 3
week course on Community based social development. The students have shared
their endorsement through her. (kausar.skhan@aku.edu).
[If any of you have used the charter or any other PHM
materials in your training programes and courses, please let us know].
IFMSA - PHM Evolving Linkage
The International Federation of Medical Students
Association (IFMSA) co-facilitated a workshop on Medical education at PHA -
I in December 2000. At Geneva, May 2004, the PHM Coordinator met around
12-14 IFMSA delegates to WHA and after a short orientation, invited them to
actively link into PHM by joining GHW and PHA II initiatives. They were also
encouraged to involve their members, who are bilingual (English / Spanish)
to help Latin American PHM with PHA II.
Emily Spry, the president of IFMSA writes - "Its
excellent to hear from you. I know that Andreas has already been talking to
some youth organizations about volunteers for the PHA in Ecuador (lunesco@ifmsa.org).
At the moment we are all in Macedonia with around 600 students from 80
countries arriving tomorrow for our General Assembly. Thanks again and
delighted to have our links with PHM revived".
Global Health Watch
This initiative towards an Alternative World Health
report is evolving though meetings, teleconferencing and email dialogue with
the objective of providing a platform for academics, policy analysis,
activists and non governmental organizations to promote the accountability
of global institution that effect health (WHO, WTO, G8, World Bank);
identify unfair, injustice policies and practices at global and national
level; highlight needs of the poor and reinvigorate the principles of Health
for All; shift health policies to recognize political, social and economic
barriers to health; and advocate alternative to market driven approach.
The GHW initiative, a collaborative effort of PHM with
Global Equity Gauge Alliance and Medact have called for case studies short
essays and testimonies for the 2005 report. (visit www.ghwatch.org.uk
for further details and contributions)
Looking forward to hearing from all of you
Best wishes
The PHM Secretariat Team
PS: One of the purposes of these short updates from the
secretariat in the exchange is to invite the "PHM - Digital
conduits" to disseminate the information further to the e-marginalised
groups with whom they are working [Digital conduits are the PHM friends who
are moderately e-enabled and could act as a conduits to disseminate
information and bring the voices of the e-marginalised into this newsletter.
So do circulate this newsletter to others, who cannot access]
