PHM-Exch> Come down and out of the silo to OccupyHealthCare

[access at imaxi.org]

Greetings,

The march towards an equitable system of global health has come to an 
intersection which calls us to stop and think collectively about which 
way forward is the best route to take. On one side we see yellow and 
red lights flashing warnings of funding cut-backs, essential medicine 
stock-outs, and service scale-downs. Yet on the other side of this 
crossroads we see that there is alternative path ahead. Mapped by 
those who see the Right to Health as the right way to go, it now must 
be widened and reinforced so that millions of people in need of 
accessible healthcare can go forward as a broad based movement.

This road building requires the hands-on engagement of many of those 
already involved in the 'global health community'. Patients, 
caregivers, civil society organizations and health professionals need 
to look ahead, and build together. Although this sounds good, the 
current health systems in most countries have created clusters of 
specific interest groups, which we call 'The Silos'. Divided by 
disease or funding stream, such as HIV, Cancer, Diabetes or Tobacco 
control, these groups see the world from their towers, and not from 
ground level. Down below, those in need of healthcare are sent, often 
crawling, from one silo or another. Compounding the problem, community 
activists have become disease specific as well, with their energies 
limited to what the funders, from their own silos, dictate. Health for 
all must be more holistic, and include dealing with the social 
determinants outside the silos, including poverty, education, gender, 
the environment and other factors that hurt the community.

The march towards equity in health and affordable care will move 
faster and more effectively if health professionals and advocates 
begin to see and act beyond their current focus. The silos are out of 
date structures that have stayed on the health landscape maintained by 
their vested interests, often out of touch with the interests of the 
community. At this historic crossroads, we all must think globally, 
act locally and broadly. It is imperative that the global community 
comes together to build the route forward towards health equity. Let's 
OccupyHealthCare, not silos.

http://www.imaxi.org/content/come-down-and-out-silo-occupyhealthcare
Twitter Search: #OccupyHealthCare #SDOH #Right2Health #HIV/AIDS 
#Cancer #Diabetes #Tuberculosis
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IMAXI Cooperative
Kannur, Kerala, India
http://www.imaxi.org
Tweet: @IMAXIcoop