PHA-Exchange> Eurpean Social Forum Call to action

[Claudio]

Call to action to defend the right to health and fight the privatisation of health services in Europe

London, 15 October, 2004

The participants of the health seminars at the European Social Forum in London propose that  the Assembly of Social Movements adopt, as a priority, a campaign for the right to health and against privatisation of health services in Europe. The denial of the right to health, which is an outcome of neo-liberal policies, has dramatic consequences for people in Europe.

Neo-liberal health policy has transformed people's health into a profit-making commodity. The attack on public health systems and the privatisation of health services throughout Europe prevents many citizens accessing health care. 

Privatised services are more expensive and less accessible. Furthermore, independent research is obstructed by market philosophy as funding is dominated by corporate interests. 

The Treaty of the European Constitution excludes the right to health which exists in many State constitutions.  The participants declare their absolute opposition to this Treaty. They consider it to be the product of collusion between banks and economic power which does not take the people of Europe into account.  This is why we urge you to vote against the Treaty in State referendums. We also reject all similar agreements especially the Bolkestein Directive which is worse than Global Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

The networks that organised the health seminars were the People's Health Movement and the European Network for the Right to Health supported by the Global Health Watch. These networks are fighting for the right to free access to public health services without discrimination. They are also struggling against fortress Europe which denies the rights of immigrants to access health care and their right to live in dignity. The networks propose to build a specific space for health at the Mediterranean Social Forum, 16-19 June 2005 which will address these issues.

In addition, we are working with Latin American, African and Asian networks to prepare for the International Health Forum on the 23-25 January 2005 before the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre. We shall also participate in the Second People's Health Assembly in Cuenca, Ecuador, July 2005. 

We propose a campaign against the privatisation of health services. We will launch the campaign by supporting the struggle of Hungarian citizens who have organised a referendum against privatisation of hospitals.

We call on everyone present here at the Assembly of Social Movements to participate actively in the proposed days of action against the privatisation of health services in Europe:

3 December 2004 - Day against the privatisation of public health and in support of the referendum in Hungary.

18 February 2005 - Day against the European Constitution and the Bolkestein Directive to coincide with the referendum on the European Constitutional Treaty in Spain.

10-16 April- the Global Week of Action on Trade (www.april2005.org).

To receive regular information about the campaign sign up to -  
Righttohealth-europe-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
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