PHM-Exch> WHO Private Sector Engagement: PSI & other CSOs express grave concern

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Baba Aye <baba.aye at world-psi.org>




“On the first day of the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s World Health
Assembly, eight civil society organisations sent an open letter to Ms
Zsuzsanna Jakab, Deputy Director-General of the WHO. The letter raises
concerns about a recent report published by the WHO that could encourage
the privatisation of health care amidst a Covid-19 pandemic that
re-emphasised the challenges of commercialisation of healthcare systems,
and without the necessary open debate that such an issue requires.



This is unacceptable at any time. It becomes even more worrisome that it is
issued during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has shown that well-financed
public healthcare is the only bulwark for realising the right to health.



Its framing also goes against the spirit and letters of the WHO governing
bodies resolutions on private sector engagement. The 63rd World Health
Assembly (WHA) focus in 2010 was to strengthen the institutional capacity
of governments to regulate private providers to strengthen health systems
delivery of essential healthcare services. That point was reiterated by the
65th WHA in 2012.



This is a far cry from the Strategy Report’s advocacy for “governance in
mixed health systems”. Such an approach essentially equates private
provision with public healthcare delivery. Further, it erodes the primary
place of governments as sovereign bodies who as duty-bearers, are
responsible for delivery of health as an essential public good and human
right.



>From one step backwards to another, the Report paints a picture of the
private sector’s positive role in cases it cites such as Lombardy in Italy,
without pointing out controversies that have been raised with those same
cases. The impact of privatisation of health in the Lombardy region for
example contributed significantly to weakening crisis preparedness when
there was a Covid-19 surge in Italy last year, making Lombardy the
epicentre in Italy, and globally at that point in time.



The right to health can be guaranteed only as universal public health care.
And any WHO strategy must be clearly aligned with realisation of the
fundamental right to health. This is the point of departure for PSI and
other CSOs case against the PSE Strategy Report.”



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https://publicservices.international/resources/news/who-private-sector-engagement-psi--other-csos-express-grave-concern?id=11843&lang=en
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