PHM-Exch> A PHM tribute to Gavin Mooney and Del Weston

[Claudio Schuftan]

The tragic deaths of life partners Gavin Mooney, and Del Weston, on
the 20thDecember, is a huge loss to the progressive health movement
around the
world. Gavin, a leading health economist and one of the founders of the
field of health economics, and Del, who had just completed a PhD on the
political economy of Climate Change, were social justice activists
associated with the People’s Health Movement for the past decade. They were
founding members of the Western Australian Social Justice Network which has
been the de facto PHM in that state.  They moved to Tasmania just over a
year ago where they continued, their commitment to social justice
struggles, both locally and internationally. They were both excited by
their move to Tasmania where they were establishing an ecologically
sustainable lifestyle in the very beautiful state of Tasmania. Even in the
brief time they spent there, Gavin had become involved in launching of the
Social Determinants of Health Advocacy Network, and facilitating Citizens'
Juries as a more democratic way for people to participate in setting
priorities for the health systems. Australia’s health minister Tanya
Plibersek said of Gavin : “We have lost a fearless campaigner and advocate
for human rights.” In Australia, Gavin and Del  played an important part in
defending the rights of Aboriginal peoples and lobbying for health
equity. Justin
Mohamed, Chair of National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health
Organisations representing over 150 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health
Organisations throughout Australia paid tribute to Gavin noting “he will be
universally remembered for his passionate advocacy for equity and social
justice at local and global levels, for his championing of citizen’s
juries, and for his commitment to Aboriginal health.  Gavin’s enduring
commitment to improving Aboriginal health is what we will remember him for.
He worked at both academic and community levels to assist in advancing
 Aboriginal community controlled health services”.

 Gavin and Del  had also spent much time in  South Africa in recent years ,
engaging with health activists on  questions of equitable health care
financing, climate justice, and the rights of refugees.  He and Del were
deeply affected by South Africa’s liberation struggles and spent much time
in the country on a number of visits, learning, engaging, mentoring,
sharing and being activists, particularly concerned at the failure of South
Africa’s so-called democratic revolution to reduce social inequalities and
deliver better health for its peoples. Gavin and Del established important
and valued relationships with many colleagues, comrades and activists,
particularly from the marginalised refugee communities in Cape Town. They
were truly wonderful people who showered others with grace, warmth and
assistance, but who were also able and willing to speak uncomfortable
truths to power when it mattered – be it in standing up for Aboriginal
rights in Australia, or for health equity and climate justice across the
world.

Gavin will be remembered as not only one of the founders of the discipline
of Health Economics but as a mentor to many and an absolutely fearless
fighter for social justice. His contributions were seminal in to opening up
for debate the value base of the discipline of health economics,
challenging the prevailing orthodoxy in much of health economics which
prioritised concerns with efficiency over the distributional consequences
of decisions.

Their deaths represent a huge loss to the global movement for social
justice and health equity. The PHM mourns the loss of two wonderful global
citizens, who saw another world was possible, one where justice and equity
could be a reality, and commits to remembering what Del and Gavin stood for
in our work in the future.

Both Gavin and Del are in the PHM Australia picture attached.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20121229/14a85bf8/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: PEHPHCWorkshopphotoCanberra2009.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 3755884 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20121229/14a85bf8/attachment-0004.jpg>