PHA-Exch> PHM in Action: PHM USA Update

Sun Apr 5 23:04:17 PDT 2009

From: Sarah Shannon sarahs at hesperian.org

[image: []] People’s Health Movement – USA Circle Update

*There’s a lot going on!
**In this Update:

   1. Oxfam/PHM debate and NGO meeting on private health care in poor
   countries
   2. Doctors for Global Health Annual Assembly
   3. Global Health Watch 2
   4. PHM Global news: PHM Global Secretariat moving to Cape Town, South
   Africa; PHA3 task force
   5. Upcoming International People’s Health University short courses
   6. South Los Angeles meeting on the Right to Health
   7. Bridging the Gap: A Dialogue Between HIV/AIDS and Primary Health Care
   Advocates
   8. World Federation of Public Health Associations conference
   9. American Public Health Association
   10. PHM-USA web site revised; Wikipedia entry about PHM

*
*1. Oxfam/PHM debate and NGO meeting on private health care in poor
countries

*The debate event at the World Bank last month had a great turnout and a
lively discussion both in the auditorium and in the blogosphere. You can
read Oxfam’s report ”Blind Optimism” and get more info here
<http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/campaign/health_and_education/public_first.html>
. For an overview of the DC events see Laura Turiano’s post on the
Hesperian Foundation blog
<http://hesperian.typepad.com/weblog/2009/03/health-care-for-the-poor-human-right-or-profit-opportunity-.html>
. April Harding came out with the first pro-commercialization blog on
the
Center for Global Development web site
<http://blogs.cgdev.org/globalhealth/2009/02/oxfam-this-is-not-how-to-help.php>
. Both Dave McCoy and Anna Marriot have posted comments. Other blogs
and
media reports can be found by Googling. We’re hoping to continue the work of
building a DC advocacy coalition to work on global health issues in the
beltway at the Doctor’s for Global Health Assembly in July in Washington.

*2. Doctors for Global Health Annual Assembly, July 2009

*Join us for the 14th Annual DGH General Assembly: "Global Impacts of Local
Action: Walking the Walk at Home and Abroad" at The George Washington
University in Washington, DC.
Friday July 31 to Sunday August 2, 2009
For more information check the DGH website. < http://www.dghonline.org/>
<http://www.dghonline.org/%3E%A0>

*3. Global Health Watch 2

*PHM-USA has joined other PHM circles around the world in launching the *Global
Health Watch 2 < http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download_ghw2.php> *.
The *Global Health Watch 2* is an alternative world health report,
collaboratively written by more than 135 scholars and activists, that
tackles the question of why so little progress has been made to achieve
“Health for All.”  Contributors showcased the* GHW2 *at the San Diego APHA
conference in October, and the book was also featured during the recent pair
of events in Washington, D.C. focused on the role of the private sector.

At the University of Iowa, Dr. Maureen McCue has been using the *GHW2* in
her classes.  She writes that she has “40 students using the book and
writing essays and reviews about it every week. They've all started talking
in the language of health determinants.”  Other *GHW2 *launch events are
being planned for this spring in San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle.  Please
email *dorothy at hesperian.org* if you are interested in helping to promote
this important resource and change the language and framework we use to talk
about global health.

*4. PHM Global news: PHM Global Secretariat moving to Cape Town, South
Africa; PHA3 task force

*The Coordinating Council (the executive body of the global PHM Steering
Council) met in early February in Bangkok, Thailand.  At this meeting it was
confirmed that the PHM Global  Secretariat would be hosted by PHM South
Africa for the next three years. During the past three years, the Global
Secretariat has been hosted by AHED in Cairo, Egypt.  The transition of host
for the Global Secretariat from Egypt to South Africa will begin in April.
(The Global Secretariat was hosted in Bangladesh from 2000 - 2002, and in
India from 2003 - 2005).

A task force has been formed to assess the feasibility of various options
for a Third People‚s Health Assembly in late 2010 or 2011.  Various
possibilities will be assessed including: holding a global assembly in South
Africa, organizing simultaneous regional assemblies, and others.  If you
have suggestions or have ideas about resources to support organizing a Third
People's Health Assembly, please contact Sarah Shannon: *
sarahs at hesperian.org* .

*5. Upcoming International People’s Health University short courses

*PHM and IPHU  are pleased to announce the upcoming short course 'The
Struggle for Health', scheduled in Morocco (20-30 April 09) and
Thessaloniki, Greece (4-10 May 09). For details and registration, go to
http://phmovement.org/iphu/. <http://phmovement.org/iphu/> The course in
Morocco will be conducted in French and Arabic. In Greece it will be in
Greek and English.

The International People’s Health University (IPHU) is one of the major
programs of the People’s Health Movement. IPHU is a global university
providing short courses and other resources for health activists. Courses
are of a high academic standard and are documented for academic credit from
established universities. IPHU short courses enable younger health
activists, in particular, to make new connections, share experiences and
study together. IPHU short courses strengthen the global network of people’s
health activists.

PHM-USA is working with Partners in Health and Health Empowering Humanity to
send a couple of Haitian health activists to the course in Morocco (or
possibly an upcoming IPHU in Cuba that isn’t yet confirmed).  Then they
would organize an IPHU in Haiti.

Greece  <http://www.phmovement.org/iphu/en/system/files/IPHU-Thessaloniki+English+Announcement.pdf>
IPHU announcement
<http://www.phmovement.org/iphu/en/system/files/IPHU-Thessaloniki+English+Announcement.pdf>
Morocco  <http://www.phmovement.org/iphu/en/system/files/English-Announcement-IPHU-Morocco.pdf>
IPHU announcement
<http://www.phmovement.org/iphu/en/system/files/English-Announcement-IPHU-Morocco.pdf>

*6. The First Annual Los Angeles Health and Human Rights Conference:
Leveraging Lessons and Getting Results in South LA and Beyond

*Host:    St.John's Well Child and Family Centers
Date:    Friday, June 5, 2009
Time:    8:00am - 8:00pm
Location:    Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Email for more information or to RSVP:   *RManchanda at wellchild.org*, *
JimMangia at wellchild.org

*On June 5th, 2009, a south Los Angeles-based coalition will bring together
local and global fronts of the health and human rights movement to share
lessons and resources towards a common purpose: marked and measurable
improvements in the health and well-being of residents of south LA and
beyond.

This groundbreaking conference will highlight innovative community-led
approaches and build transnational partnerships for results-oriented health
and human rights advocacy.

Tentative speakers include Dennis Kucinich, Robert Ross (CEO, California
Endowment), Richard Baker (Dean, Charles Drew University), and local elected
officials. The list of local and national partners is growing daily.
Participating and endorsing groups currently include Physicians for Social
Responsibility, Harvard Health and Human Rights Journal, Partners in Health,
National Physicians Alliance, Physicians for Human Rights, People’s Health
Movement, Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers, Strategic Actions
for a Just Economy, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, Los Angeles
Community Action Network and others. If you are going to this conference,
let us know at *phm at turiano.org* .

See the report on the right to health in South LA written by the South LA
Collaborative, *Taming the Perfect Storm, *at
http://hhrjournal.org/blog/articles/taming-the-perfect-storm.

*7. Bridging the Gap: A Dialogue Between HIV/AIDS and Primary Health Care
Advocates

*On  May 15-17, 2009, Partners in Health will be hosting the important
conference,  "Bridging the Gap: A Dialogue Between HIV/AIDS and Primary
Health Care Advocates." This is a small meeting that “aims to bring together
international representatives of the HIV/AIDS and primary health care
movements - two communities dedicated to fighting for equitable access to
comprehensive health care - to discuss ways to collaborate in this shared
mission.   While policymakers and funders debate the most successful model
for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how to best expand primary health
care, thousands of people die each day from treatable illnesses.  In order
to effectively utilize resources and save lives, programs targeting HIV/AIDS
require strong primary health care systems, and strong primary health care
systems need the capacity to treat complex disease.”

Lanny Smith of Doctors for Global Health will be attending the conference
and has asked that we think about and discuss what the PHM US agenda/goals
should be for this meeting so he can represent this perspective there. For
example:
What can the PHM perspective (the Charter,  PHM’s take on PHC, a right to
health approach, etc) contribute to the discussion? Are there any specific
examples of “shared opportunities, objectives, missteps, or concrete
strategies” that we should raise? Do we have anything to contribute from the
PHM experience in movement building?
Please post your thoughts on the listserv - phmusa at list.riseup.net.

*8. World Federation of Public Health Associations, Istanbul, April 2009

*At least 2 groups containing PHM US folks will be presenting at the WFPHA
conference. Jirair Ratevosian, Wendy Johnson, David McCoy and Amy Hagopian
are putting on a panel, "In Defense of the Public Sector."  Lanny Smith and
Joia Mukherjee will also speak. Let us  know if you will be there and if you
are doing a panel.
For more info: http://www.worldpublichealth2009.org/

*9. American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, November 2009

*As usual, PHM will have a presence at the APHA conference. The theme of
this year’s meeting is water and Jeff Conant from Food and Water Watch, and
the folks at Health Alliance International have submitted several abstracts
related to the right to water and health. Hillel Cohen is organizing a panel
on the the effects of deregulation on public health. PHM also usually has
some kind of event/reception at the APHA. Meredith is compiling a list of
PHM attendees and presentations, so let her know if you will be there at
meredithfort at yahoo.com.

*10. PHM-USA web site revised; PHM entry on Wikipedia

*The PHM-USA website has been updated and moved to a page on the PHM global
website. The new url is
http://www.phmovement.org/cms/en/circles/180/page.It’s pretty basic at
this point but we hope to gradually add more features
and pictures. If you have something to add to the page send it to
phm at hesperian.org.

We would like to add a list of individuals and organizations who make up PHM
in the US to the new website. Please send information to be included to *
phm at hesperian.org* (for organizations, we would like to list name, location,
and a link to your website).

The PHM entry on Wikipedia is currently a stub that needs expansion. It
would help if the contributors don’t have an obvious link to the
organization so they don’t appear to have a “conflict of interest.” Please
take a look at it and see if there is something you can add -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Health_Movement.

And don’t forget – you can use the PHM USA listserv to announce your events
and share anything you think would be of interest to US PHMers –
phmusa at lists.riseup.net.

<http://www.hesperian.org/>*Visit our NEW Spanish-language website:
http://espanol.hesperian.org

*
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