PHA-Exchange> Press Release (PHA-2): INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE'S HEALTH UNIVERSITY launched. "A turning point in the history of the health movement" say health activists and academicians.

Tue Jul 12 10:54:51 PDT 2005

PRESS RELEASE .                          URGENT.       (Total pages 2,
including this)
For media enquiries: +593  919 6 17 12 / +593  9873 9376 / +593  9453
0115 / +593  9156 2935
 <http://www.healthwrights.org/politics/iphc.htm> International People's
Health Council  <http://www.healthwrights.org/politics/iphc.htm>
International People's Health Council
People's Health Movement PHM - re-establish health and equitable
development as top priorities with comprehensive primary health care.
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INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE'S HEALTH UNIVERSITY launched.
"A turning point in the history of the health movement" say health
activists and academicians.
Cuenca, Ecuador, 11 July 2005: The struggle for 'Health for All'
received a boost here today. International People's Health University
(IPHU) was launched in a simple ceremony attended by people from over 35
countries. 
The IPHU is a project of the International People's Health Council and
part of the global People's Health Movement.
 "Slogans are key in any people-based movement and they can capture the
knowledge and strategy in ways that support action. But we need to back
up the slogans, the languages of the masses, with evidence and critical
analysis" said Prof. David Legge. Dr. Legge is a director of the IPHU
and a well-known public health expert from Australia.
61 students from 25 countries and various walks of life as well as
public health and medical experts from 10 other countries are
participating in the course.
"This is a much needed program. We are timing it with the second
People's Health Assembly as a gesture of solidarity" said Maria Hamlin
Zuniga, Co-ordinator of IPHC.
Over 1500 people from all continents (Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe
and Americas) will be coming together for the second People's Health
Assembly (PHA- 2) in the historic mountain city of Cuenca from 17-23
July, 2005. "The mass mobilisation is unprecedented" said Dr. Prem John,
an organizer of PHA-2 from India. 
"I can do a medical course in my country (Australia), but what I gain
from the IPHU course is the people's touch" said Ms.Victoria Saint, a
student from Australia. 
"The course will help to serve as a tool to do reality check on issues
that block health for poor people, both in developed and developing
countries" said Ms.Tawnia Queen, a student from USA. 
The presence of students from developed countries is seen as a signal of
soul searching amongst the public health constituency there.
"For me it is a satisfaction to represent the indigenous people of
Ecuador and to exchange the challenges and solutions in different
communities" said Ms. Martina Puculpala from Ecuador. Ms. Puculpala, a
student on the IPHU course, is the president of the Federation of
Indigenous Women and Agricultural Workers in Ecuador. 
The presence of indigenous people from Ecuador, Australia, Guatemala and
other places is a highlight of this unique course.
"Health is no more about fighting viruses" said Dr. Arturo Quizphe, a
professor of pediatrics at the University of Cuenca and a faculty of
IPHU course. "It needs to be located in the context of increasing
poverty, inequalities, new diseases, casualties from wars, conflicts and
disasters and unfair trade agreements" he said.

"This is a rare opportunity to learn about the various initiatives and
struggles to defend the health rights" said Mr. Naveen Thomas, a student
from India.  
"We are trying to create a cadre of professionals who can show the
courage to challenge the stereotypes and fight inequalities" said Dr.
Hernan Hermida during the inaugural speech. "This is the first step to
ensure health for all, especially for the poor in today's world" said
Dr. Hermida, a leading public health expert, from Ecuador. 
The International People's Health University aims to contribute to the
'health for all' campaign by strengthening people's health movements
around the globe, by organising and resourcing opportunities to learn,
share and plan for health activists, particularly from Third World
countries. 
The IPHU will 
*         organise and resource short course opportunities for health
activists
*         develop an on going program of short courses for Third World
health activists 
*         develop a broad range of learning opportunities; a growing
collection of resource materials; and a wider network of resource people
to progressively enhance its programs.

For media enquiries for IPHU and PHA-2, please call:        
+593  919 6 17 12 (Dr. Unnikrishnan PV-  <mailto:unnikru at yahoo.com>
unnikru at yahoo.com  ) or    
*	Gloria (Eng and Spanish): 0 9873 9376 (From abroad : dial +593
9873 9376) 
*	Fabiola (Spanish) : 0 9453 0115 (From abroad : dial +593  9453
0115 )
*	Sanjana / Satya (English):  0 9156 2935  (From abroad : dial
+593  9156 2935 ) ( <mailto:sanjanab at yahoo.com> sanjanab at yahoo.com)
 <http://www.phmovement.org/> www.phmovement.org  and
<http://www.iphcglobal.org/> www.iphcglobal.org

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