PHA-Exch> Egypt's Right to Health Campaign

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Alaa Shukrallah alaashuk at yahoo.com

A National Conference under the title "Yes to health reform, no to
privitization of health care services" will be held on Tuesday Oct 2nd . The
aim is for all political parties and Civil Society Organisations in Egypt to
declare their opposition to the Proposed Government Law which is  intended
to be passed through the National Assembly during the next months. We oppose
the introduction of the law and call for a national dialogue in which all
political parties, trade unions, as well as other civil society
organisations are included in the dialogue. We oppose the proposed law on
the basis of the fact that it will make health services more inaccessable to
the vast majority of people in our country on the basis of:
1. Contribution of beneficiaries to be 1/3 of the costs,
2. Different packages will be provided according to people's means, i.e.
depriving people from their right to appropriate health services,
3. Separation of the financing from the provision of health care which in
reallity means selling the huge health infrastrucre of the public sector for
peanuts to big private investors in health service provision.

We question how much the law will maximise efficiency as is being claimed
other than to maximise profits of the new and growing private sector
investors in health services (or should we say investors in "ill -health",
i.e., those who will profit from ill-health).

This proposed law is being pushed by both international, as well as local
intrest groups, namely, USAID, The European Union, The World Bank and, of
course, the investors in health services in Egypt and in the region.

Your solidarity with us around the globe is very important. Letters to the
World Bank, EU...etc who are now important stakeholders would be of value.
You can send them to
Alaa shukrallah
Member of the Global Secretariat
at the address above.
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