PHA-Exchange> World Health Report

[davidmccoy at xyx.demon.co.uk]

Dear friends,

The recent world health report (on MCH) makes interesting reading. There is much in it that deserves PHM's support and commendation. Among some of the key issues that come out are:
- the need for a massive injection of resources to develop the human infrastructure of health care systems
- the need to be wary of short-term, vertical programmes
- the need to develop an 'organisational strategy' for the implemention of MCH services (as opposed to the past focus on technologies)
- the need to resurrect the DHS concept
- the need for the pooling of financing 
- 'concerns' expressed about biomedicalisation and commercialisation
- the need for donors and NGOs to recommit to the principles of SWAps

These are not 'new' issues to us, but it is positive to see the manner in which WHO is expressing them. There is also of course much that itn't mentioned or referred to, and the 'way forward' is much more tentative than the analysis of the problems.

It would be good for the PHM to write a short article analysing the report, filling in the gaps and then making some concrete recommendations of what we would like to see WHO do in order to make good on their own analysis and recommendations. 

If anyone is interested in doing this, please let me know.

thanks,
Dave