PHM-Exch> [PHM NEWS] Global Health Watch 5 launches in Africa in 2018

[Claudio Schuftan]

“Now in its 5th edition, the Global Health Watch 5 (GHW5) is widely
perceived as the definitive voice for an alternative discourse on health”
Since the beginning of the year, two regional launches and two country
launches took place in the region as reported below. GHW 5 launches were
part of a strategy to create a platform for networking, collaboration with
other civil society on different health issues in the region and
mobilization for PHA4. All the launches highlight some of the key issues
taking places within the African region.

PHM East and Southern Africa GHW 5 Regional launch in Nairobi, Kenya

PHM Kenya, PHM Uganda and PHM Kenya representatives

The GHW5 regional launch was a milestone for PHM East and Southern Africa
marking the first regional meeting pre-PHA4 and organised as part of the
international day of action on 7th April. There was also a need to discuss
what the region would want to bring to PHA4 in Bangladesh as well as common
issues to look at as a region. The launch took place on the 9th of April
2018 in Nairobi, Kenya. It was organised by PHM Kenya with support and in
collaboration with African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC).
It was attended by PHM activists from PHM Kenya, PHM Zimbabwe, PHM Uganda
and other civil society organisations in Kenya. A regional PHM plenary was
organised on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and an East and Southern
Africa statement and call to action on UHC was developed and disseminated.
A PHM session held immediately after discussed developing a case study
based on PHM experiences in the region, with the following suggestion put
forward for the case study:
*Issues around Universal Health Coverage (UHC), including risks and
progress toward Health for All. *What role Community Health Workers (CHWs)
will play in achieving access, cost and availability *Human Resources for
Health as a precursor to the discussion on CHWs
*Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)
PHM ESA committed to the following:
*The need to advocate for improved coverage of primary health care (PHC)
*Strengthen communities in addressing the social determinants of health
-communities in turn put pressure on governments
*Safety in communities-primary care level. Detention of new mothers in
hospitals was also discussed, with delegates agreeing that this was a human
rights issue that needs to be addressed as safe delivery is one of the core
minimum that must be provided to mothers.

PHM West and Central Africa Regional launch of the GHW5 at the IPHU in DRC

The GHW 5 was launched as part of the activities at the PHM West and
Central Africa regional workshop held in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
from the 16th to 18th March and as part of PHA 4 mobilization. It was
attended by representatives from PHM Ghana, PHM DRC, PHM Mali,

PHM Benin, PHM Gabon, PHM Europe and other civil society in DRC. Both
events (workshop and
launch) were covered by the Congolese national television.
You can click the following link to view more on mobilisation in PHM West
and Central Africa:
https://phmwcafrica.wordpress.com/blog/

Launch of GHW 5 in Ghana

PHM Ghana celebrated and launched the global health watch 5 on the 6th of
April 2018. The launch of
the GHW 5 was organised by PHM Ghana and was part of the 7th April action.
PHM Ghana brought
together about 50 CSOs to celebrate on Ghana's stride to UHC 40 years after
independence. Much
emphasis was on the National Health Insurance (NHI) as a medium to
attaining UHC.

Launch of GHW 5 in South Africa

PHMSA launched the GHW 5 in early June 2018. The launch was attended by
approximately 400
people. They also used the platform to launch the People's NHI Campaign.
Other platforms to be
organized after the launch include commemorating PHC @40 in September and a
submission on
public comments for the National Health Insurance bill.
More launches planned for in Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania and Gabon!
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