PHM-Exch> a note on the pre-WHA civil society workshop, Geneva

[Claudio Schuftan]

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From: PHM Global Secretariat secretariat at phmovement.org

*The PHM and calls upon WHO to act decisively *

Campaigners from around the world will be gathering in Geneva this week to
press the World Health Assembly to adopt policies that combat the root
causes of ill-health.

A 2-day forum "Equity, Justice and Health" will be held just prior to the 62
nd World Health Assembly on 15-16 May 2009 and will impress upon WHO the
need to move more decisively towards declaring a commitment to health as a
fundamental human right

Campaigners, led by the "People's Health Movement", will also be
pressing WHO to request member states to ensure that the health care systems
are adequately and publicly funded – breaking from the global policy of the
World Bank, International Monetary Fund and organizations like USAID, which
have pressed for increasing private sector investment.

While there is no evidence to show any benefits from privatization, there is
evidence that properly planned, publicly funded health care can ensure
universal coverage and is the best value for money spent, even in low income
countries.

The campaigners also highlight the need for WHO to accept and endorse the
findings of WHO's own Commission on Social Determinants of Health that was
launched in 2005, and to press member states to address social inequalities
rather than seek to alleviate the symptoms through narrowly focused, often
counter-productive, policies to "target the poor".

The newly designated global coordinator of the PHM, Bridget Lloyd said "we
are delighted to see that WHO is moving in the right direction in the draft
motion on social determinants to this year's assembly, but the world's
poorest people need even more radical and explicit commitment to give them
the right to health, that is why we are turning up the pressure on WHO to
add more strength to the motion".

 The pre-WHA workshop will be held in the Webster University in Geneva.
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