PHM-Exch> Bulletin #11: A climate of South-South solidarity

[Jyotsna Singh]

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From: Peoples Health Dispatch <health at peoplesdispatch.org>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2021 at 02:55
Subject: Bulletin #11: A climate of South-South solidarity
To: <jyotsna.jnu at gmail.com>


This fortnight By mid-October, 60% of the population of Cuba had been fully
vaccinated against Covid-19. The results of the vaccination campaign on
this Caribbean island have surpassed those of the USA and of Australia, for
example, although immunization in Cuba began later than in these high
income countries. The current vaccination trends in Cuba make it likely
that over 90% of Cu

Bulletin #11: A climate of South-South solidarity
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/bulletin-11/>
By People's Health Dispatch – 21 Oct 2021 – View online →
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/bulletin-11/>

This fortnight

By mid-October, 60% of the population
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/14/cuba-reaches-milestone-with-60-of-its-population-being-fully-vaccinated/>
of Cuba had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The results of the
vaccination campaign on this Caribbean island have surpassed those of the
USA and of Australia, for example, although immunization in Cuba began
later than in these high income countries. The current vaccination trends
in Cuba make it likely that over 90% of Cubans
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/20/cuba-is-ready-to-reopen-its-borders/>
will have been fully vaccinated with homegrown vaccines by the end of
November.

Cuba’s vaccination success has as much to do with the dedication of the
local health workers as it does with the long tradition of public
investment in research and development of medical products. In this issue,
we bring a field report based on the experiences of Cuban health workers
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/19/eyewitness-report-cubas-scientists-medical-workers-advance-fight-vs-covid/>
during the pandemic. We also bring an analysis on the recent agreement made
by Cuba and Vietnam
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/cuba-vietnam-on-the-road-to-vaccine-self-reliance/>
to export 10 million doses of Cuban vaccines to the South Asian country
and, even more importantly, to transfer the technology for vaccine
production.

While solidarity between countries of the Global South is helping to end
the pandemic, there is little sign of solidarity from rich countries. As
the UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, approaches
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/climate-change-is-a-very-different-ball-game-in-poor-and-rich-countries/>,
it is looking likely that the Global North will once again do everything in
its power to postpone concrete actions on climate change. By doing so, rich
countries will put millions of lives at risk. For this issue, we spoke with
D. Raghunandan of the Delhi Science Forum from India about expectations
from COP26, and used our *Data speaks* section to compare who is bearing
most of the burden of climate change.

High income countries are not doing much better in other international fora
as well: the European Union continues to block the TRIPS waiver proposal at
WTO meetings. This month, people in several European countries have come
together for a series of days of shame
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/18/in-europe-days-of-shame-highlights-failure-of-leaders-to-back-trips-waiver-proposal-for-covid-vaccines/>,
calling on their governments to finally offer concrete support for global
vaccine equity.

European governments have also been called to provide fair and safe working
conditions to the health workers who have been working relentlessly during
the pandemic. Nurses, laboratory technicians, cleaners and porters at the
two biggest hospital centres in Berlin went on a month-long strike in
September
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/how-berlins-health-workers-organized-went-on-strike-and-won/>
- and won significant promises before the end of October.

Finally, another promise of fairer and better healthcare comes in the form
of the first malaria vaccine ever developed. You can learn more about the
implications of Mosquirix, and about how private companies aim to profit
from it, in a video interview
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/20/why-did-it-take-over-50-years-to-develop-mosquirix-the-first-anti-malaria-vaccine/>
with immunologist Dr Satyajit Rath.
------------------------------

*Eyewitness report: Cuba’s scientists, medical workers advance fight vs.
COVID*
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/19/eyewitness-report-cubas-scientists-medical-workers-advance-fight-vs-covid/>

Gloria La Riva was in Cuba speaking to healthcare professionals about the
island’s impressive COVID-19 vaccination campaign and how they tackled the
latest wave of cases from the Delta variant

*Cuba-Vietnam: On the road to vaccine self-reliance
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/cuba-vietnam-on-the-road-to-vaccine-self-reliance/>*

Cuba and Vietnam share a rich history of anti-imperialist struggles and are
living examples of the daily battle against US hegemony. During the
pandemic, they are paving the way for South-South solidarity and enhancing
local production, a must for a self-reliant Global South

*“Climate change is a very different ball game in poor and rich countries”
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/climate-change-is-a-very-different-ball-game-in-poor-and-rich-countries/>*

A number of civil society mobilizations have been announced ahead of COP26,
including protests by health workers and health activists. We spoke to D
Raghunandan from the Delhi Science Forum about the agenda and expectations
of the summit

*How Berlin’s health workers organized, went on strike, and won*
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/21/how-berlins-health-workers-organized-went-on-strike-and-won/>

Health workers in Berlin’s biggest hospitals groups, Vivantes and Charité,
organized a 4-week long strike to secure new employment and safe staffing
levels. A member of the self-organised Berlin Hospital Movement analyses
their actions
------------------------------
Short reads

*In Europe, ‘Days of Shame’ highlights failure of leaders to back TRIPS
waiver proposal for COVID vaccines
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/18/in-europe-days-of-shame-highlights-failure-of-leaders-to-back-trips-waiver-proposal-for-covid-vaccines/>*

>From October 9-13, activists organized actions to pressure the EU and
various European countries to support the TRIPS waiver proposal, pointing
out that people continue to die because governments do not want to stand up
to Big Pharma
------------------------------

*Video: Why did it take over 50 years to develop Mosquirix, the first
anti-malaria vaccine?*
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/20/why-did-it-take-over-50-years-to-develop-mosquirix-the-first-anti-malaria-vaccine/>

Dr Satyajit Rath talks about why it took so long to develop a malaria
vaccine and the chances that pharma companies might seek to make big
profits out of it
  <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40S82anOVUo&feature=emb_imp_woyt>
------------------------------
Data speaks
------------------------------
In Brazil’s Successful Vaccine Campaign, a Lesson for the U.S.
Opinion | After a slow start, vaccination rates in the Latin American
nation have soared, thanks to a deep-rooted vaccine culture.
Undark Magazine•Kiratiana Freelon
<https://undark.org/2021/10/14/in-brazil-successful-vaccine-campaign-lesson-for-us/>
Maharashtra Survey Finds Private Hospitals Routinely Overcharged COVID
Patients - The Wire Science
As Maharashtra’s health infrastructure failed to contain the epidemic, many
private hospitals set off on a profiteering spree.
The Wire Science•Sukanya Shantha
<https://science.thewire.in/health/maharashtra-survey-finds-private-hospitals-routinely-overcharged-covid-patients/>
Cuba reaches milestone with 60% of its population being fully vaccinated :
Peoples Dispatch
According to the Cuban Public Health Ministry, as of October 12, 6,500,743
Cubans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with its own vaccines.
The figure represents 58.1% of the country’s entire population
Peoples Dispatch•Peoples Dispatch
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/10/14/cuba-reaches-milestone-with-60-of-its-population-being-fully-vaccinated/>
Health system overwhelmed in Northern Syria in most severe COVID-19
outbreak yet | MSF
The already-struggling health system in northern Syria has been hit hard by
the most severe wave of COVID-19 yet. Healthcare facilities and
humanitarian organisations are struggling to cope with the extent of this
new wave.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International•Press Release13 October 2021
<https://www.msf.org/health-system-overwhelmed-northern-syria-most-severe-covid-19-outbreak-yet>
Protest at US Embassy in South Africa Demands Biden ‘Walk the Talk’ on
Vaccine Patent Waiver
“The U.S. made a big, bold decision to support this groundbreaking TRIPS
waiver, but is now largely absent from the global effort to make it a
reality.”
Common Dreams•Jake Johnson
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/10/12/protest-us-embassy-south-africa-demands-biden-walk-talk-vaccine-patent-waiver>
Good Health Needs Good Housing
Studies have long shown that poor quality housing makes us sick – which
means that any government looking to improve public health needs to tackle
the housing crisis, too.
•Jatinder Hayre
<https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/10/good-health-needs-good-housing>
Opinion: Climate emergency risks becoming a mental health emergency
Studies have shown that the rate of mental health problems, such as
suicidality, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, increase after
natural disasters. Mbalenhle Baduza unpacks the findings of a recent report
by the Centre for Environmental Rights on the psychological and mental
health co…
Spotlight•Mbalenhle Baduza
<https://www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2021/10/08/opinion-climate-emergency-risks-becoming-a-mental-health-emergency/>
*People’s Health Dispatch is an initiative of Peoples Dispatch and the
People's Health Movement*
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