PHA-Exchange> Shaping Global Health Watch 2

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 from Bridget Lloyd <bridget at hst.org.za> -----

Shaping Global Health Watch 2

We would like to invite a first round of comments and inputs to the second
edition of the Global Health Watch. 

The broad structure of GHW2 will follow that of GHW1: Section A focussed on
the macro politics and economics of global health; Section B focussed on
health care sector topics; Section C focussed on topics beyond the health
care sector; and Section D focussed on the monitoring of key institutions,
organisations or processes. 

In contrast to GHW1, we are proposing that GHW2 will incorporate positive
examples of pro-equity health development within all Sections. In addition,
we are looking at how GHW2 can express the specific developments of
particular countries. One suggestion has been to link GHW2 to the recently
launched Right to Health campaign which would incorporate country reports on
the right to health.

In GHW1 we had a separate chapter on ‘vulnerable groups’ (indigenous peoples
and disabled people). We are proposing that GHW2 mainstream these issues and
gender (as with GHW1) as cross-cutting themes in all chapters. However, in
GHW2, we also want to consider how to communicate in a more direct form the
voices of communities themselves, possibly through a series of human
interest stories woven into chapters, or through an accompanying process or
document.

The GHW was set up as an initiative to provide a platform for mobilizing
different constituencies and NGOs around a shared global health agenda.
Consideration will therefore also be given to areas of research and action
that collaborating organisations are already working on. The Watch is also
designed to act as a platform to catalyse, support and help legitimise the
idea of civil society monitoring relevant organisations and institutions.
Any individual or organisation wanting to suggest a contribution to GHW2 in
the form of a report on the actions, policies and performance of a relevant
institution or organisation would be encouraged.

At this stage, we want to encourage as many ideas as possible. We will
probably be unable to incorporate all suggestions or written material into
the final hard copy GHW2 publication, but we are intending to use the GHW
website as a platform to include a wider range of submissions that do not
make their way into the actual book. 

This alternative health report is for anyone in broad agreement with the
philosophy and political perspective of the Global Health Watch which is
outlined in the introductory chapter of GHW1.

Please send your comments and suggestions to ghw at hst.org.za by the 17th
February 2006. 


Proposed themes / topics for GHW2

GHW2 will seek to illustrate positive/innovative examples and alternatives
as well as human interest stories, within each section. It is also proposed
that the right to health be integrated throughout the chapters. 

Section A: Overarching political and economic global issues

GHW2 will need to build upon the powerful chapter on globalisation in GHW1.
Some suggested ideas for a follow-up chapter include:

 1. A description and critique of the strategies and mechanisms (economic
and political) of  

    ‘development’:                                                    

1.1       A critique of the dominant concept of development. What is
considered to be progress? What health-harming manifestations of development
have become acceptable as part of the dominant paradigm e.g. cars, diet etc.

1.2       Critiquing specifically the World Development Report of the World
Bank. Pay more focussed attention to the measurement of global poverty;

1.3       A focus on the accumulation and concentration of wealth (as a
juxtaposition to the breadth of poverty);

1.4       Critiquing specifically the World Development Report of the World
BankPay more focussed attention to the measurement of global povertyThe
control and dispossession of vital and strategic natural resources;

1.5       A look at other trade agreements, including bilateral and regional
trade agreements;

1.6       Look at ‘corruption’ more specifically given the extent to which
corruption is used as an excuse for limiting aid and development, as well as
its role in undermining aid and development.

2.         A summary of the platform of the opposites to this paradigm and
proposals to alternatives

2.1       A more focussed critique of the process, governance and outcomes
of the Make Poverty History campaign;

2.2       A summary of the success or otherwise of the Doha round of trade
negotiations (claimed to have been a ‘development round’ of trade talks);

2.3       Potential and possible mechanisms for the redistribution of
corporate wealth; 

2.4       Looking at progress towards the development of new sources of
international finance for health and poverty alleviation (e.g. currency
transaction tax, aviation tax etc.);

2.5       A look at other trade agreements – including bilateral and
regional trade agreements A critique of the dominant concept of development

. What is considered to be progress? What health-harming manifestations of
development have become acceptable as part of the dominant paradigm 
 e.g.
cars, diet etc.Development of an alternative paradigm in Latin America (e.g.
Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil) and elsewhere.

Looking at progress towards the development of new sources of international
finance for health and poverty alleviation (e.g. currency transaction tax,
aviation tax etc.)Look at ‘corruption’ more specifically given the extent to
which corruption is used as an excuse for limiting aid and development, as
well as its role 

In GHW1, this section took the form of a single, long chapter. We are at
present leaning towards two chapters, broadly as outlined above, for this
section.
    
Section B: Health Care Sector 

The Right to Health is the unifying thread underpinning the various
components of this section. Much of the political and philosophical
framework will be laid out in Chapter 1

1.         The right to health care and human rights

1.1       Demography, population control, sexual and reproductive health
(Demography and population control were issues not really covered in GHW1) 

1.2       Medicines and intellectual property rights (there is a suggestion
that this is an on-            going theme which will need to be tracked
over time)

1.3       New technologies and possible impacts (i.e. developing further
some of the themes        raised by the chapter on gene technology in GHW1)

1.4       Mental health

1.5       Access to health care for migrants 

1.6       Human Resources for Health, focusing on issues not covered in GHW1
e.g. production/training; appropriateness of mix (need for mid-level workers
and CHW’s)

2.         A specific focus on Africa’s health crisis

2.1       HIV/AIDS: keeping up the momentum; mainstreaming

2.2       Re-emerging old epidemics e.g. malaria, TB and their contrast with
new epidemics such as bird flu 

2.3       New epidemics of squalid urbanization (non communicable diseases &
violence)

3.         Health care systems – there needs to be a continuing focus on the
many issues raised in the chapter in GHW1. Medicines and intellectual
property rights – there is a suggestion that this is an on-going theme which
will need to be tracked over timeN ew technologies and possible impacts
(i.e. developing further some of the themes raised by the chapter on gene
technology in GHW1)Demography and population control – an issue that was not
really covered in GHW1. Re-emerging old epidemics - e.g. malaria HIV/AIDS:
keeping up the momentum; mainstreamingMental healthThe right to health care
and human rightsA specific focus on Africa’s health crisisA special focus on
health and health care in the former Soviet Union

4.         Access to health care for migrants Traditional systems of
medicine 

Section C: Beyond Health Care

These are the issues that have been suggested, the final decision as to what
will be included will depend on the interest of organizations and
individuals with relevant expertise who are already working on these issues
and wish to contribute to the GHW. 

Not covered in GHW1:

1.         Housing / urbanization: de-ruralisation and the building of slums
(resulting in the increasing dependence on Western foods and lifestyles and
the consequent emergence of new epidemics)

2.         Labour and deregulation and its impact on health of workforces

3.         Sport and health: the under-development of sport for health and
the extension of            sport as a corporate business 

Covered in GHW1 (would need to be expanded on or have a new focus):

1.         Food security and power over food supplies and seed stocks

2.         Climate change and the effects of global warming (continuing on
from GHW1)

3.         Water (continuing on from GHW1)

4.         The arms trade (continuing on from GHW1)

Section D: Watching 

This section will include material on some of the organizations below. As
with Section C the decision as to what will be included will depend to some
extent on capacity and interest of contributors.

-           WHO (international and regional offices), policies and programs;
Commission on           Social Determinants of Health

-           UNICEF

-           Global Fund

-           Child Survival Partnership

-           Ellison Institute

-           IFI’s (The World Bank and health; The IMF and health)

-           PPP's - a couple in detail

-           WTO 

-           ILO and labour organizations

           US as a threat to global health: national and foreign policies,
attack on scientists,            WHO hamstrung by the US, US power
constrained by the rest of the world 

-           The role of the media: how is health deconstructed and portrayed
in the             mainstream media


This section may be supplemented by ‘mini-watches’ developed by
regions/countries to monitor local offices of institutions (e.g. WHO) or the
effects of regional policies (eg. trade agreements). 

Section E: The Right to Health Campaign
This chapter may be integrated throughout the Sections or may be developed
as a Chapter on its own. Whether it is a section on its own, or integrated
within each section, it will discuss the development of a human rights basis
to ensuring access to health care for all, and might draw out some
conclusions from various country reports on the state of ‘rights to health
care’ that are being prepared.



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