PHM-Exch> Fwd: Bulletin #21: Into the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic

[Ana Vračar]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Peoples Health Dispatch <health at peoplesdispatch.org>
Date: Thu, Mar 17, 2022 at 9:36 PM
Subject: Bulletin #21: Into the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic
To: <ana at phmovement.org>


This fortnight News of a tentative TRIPS waiver compromise allegedly penned
by a group of four countries - the US, the EU, South Africa and India - was
published just around the time when the world was entering the third year
of the Covid-19 pandemic. The text was hailed by some as an important
breakthrough for boosting vaccine equity, yet most agree that the document
is completely inadequate t

Bulletin #21: Into the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/bulletin-21/>
By People's Health Dispatch – 17 Mar 2022 – View online →
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/bulletin-21/>

This fortnight

News of a tentative TRIPS waiver compromise
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/compromised-trips-waiver-will-prolong-pandemic-inequalities/>
allegedly penned by a group of four countries - the US, the EU, South
Africa and India - was published just around the time when the world was
entering the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The text was hailed by
some as an important breakthrough for boosting vaccine equity, yet most
agree that the document is completely inadequate to respond to actual needs.

The EU continues to influence drugs policies in Africa by pushing for the
establishment of an African Medicines Agency
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/push-for-more-regulation-and-quality-controls-may-further-complicate-medicine-supply-in-africa/>.
Judging from information that is currently available, the move could easily
hinder access instead of making the process of drug regulation more simple
and navigable for countries in the region.

To see concrete improvements in the field of access to medicines, we still
need the original TRIPS waiver to be passed at WTO. As the example of Moderna’s
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/07/patents-profits-and-squabbles-for-share-in-the-pie-modernas-pandemic-story/?fbclid=IwAR2oOhGS-RQ1dRZjDoyO318Gc7VKGru6OBT3jjvMBEK40M721qaDaMgArME>approach
to sharing technology and know–how has shown, there is little hope for
pharmaceutical companies to take a proactive role in supporting local
production.

After the Constitutional Court of Colombia made an important ruling on
abortion legislation in February, we spoke to Ana Cristina Gonzalez Velez
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/16/women-in-colombia-continue-their-struggle-for-reproductive-rights/>
from the Roundtable for Life and Health of Women about the intersections of
the health and feminist movements in Colombia. In *Data speaks*, we bring a
map of the world’s abortion laws.

Health workers, especially women, continue to be exposed to enormous
pressures in situations of conflict. In a recent webinar organized by the
People’s Health Movement, activists from Palestine and the Philippines met
to discuss the imprisonment of Shatha Odeh
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/imprisoned-palestinian-health-activist-shatha-odeh-is-a-beacon-of-resistance-globally/>
and Naty Castro.

Strikes in the health and care sectors continue to be the main tool for
workers’ to protect their rights in the latest phase of the pandemic. We
bring articles on industrial actions in Slovenia
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/health-and-care-workers-in-slovenia-fight-for-equal-rights/>and
the UK
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/14/cleaners-at-great-ormond-street-hospital-in-london-win-nhs-contracts/>,
as well as on the injunction against the strike planned by health workers
in New Zealand
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/04/new-zealand-employment-court-passes-injunction-to-scuttle-health-workers-strike/>
.

In a new video interview <https://youtu.be/jGiM6efI3jk>, People’s Health
Dispatch spoke to Yogesh Jain and Sarah Nabia, editor and co-editor of the
book *Covid-19: A view from the margins*, who told us more about the
importance of recording people’s personal stories and experiences from the
margin for building a more complete picture of the pandemic.
------------------------------

*Compromised TRIPS Waiver will prolong pandemic inequalities
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/compromised-trips-waiver-will-prolong-pandemic-inequalities/>*

As the COVID-19 pandemic turns two, access to medicines movements warn that
a recent compromise deal on the TRIPS waiver allegedly outlined by the US,
the EU, India and South Africa will not be enough to address existing
inequities

*Push for more regulation and ‘quality controls’ may further complicate
medicine supply in Africa
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/push-for-more-regulation-and-quality-controls-may-further-complicate-medicine-supply-in-africa/>*

The creation of the African Medicines Agency with the objective of
maintaining European standards for medicines in the continent may hamper
the supply of regular and economical versions of medicines in areas where
access is already skewed

*Patents, profits and squabbles for share in the pie – Moderna’s pandemic
story
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/07/patents-profits-and-squabbles-for-share-in-the-pie-modernas-pandemic-story/?fbclid=IwAR2oOhGS-RQ1dRZjDoyO318Gc7VKGru6OBT3jjvMBEK40M721qaDaMgArME>*

Moderna’s filing for patents in South Africa puts a question mark on its
intentions of honoring the pledge that it will not enforce patents during
the pandemic. Activists fear that this may jeopardize the WHO’s technology
sharing hub

*Women in Colombia continue their struggle for reproductive rights*
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/16/women-in-colombia-continue-their-struggle-for-reproductive-rights/>

Ana Gonzalez Velez from the Roundtable for Life and Health of Women talks
about the recent constitutional ruling in favor of decriminalization of
abortion in Colombia and what lies ahead

*Imprisoned Palestinian health activist Shatha Odeh is a beacon of
resistance globally*
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/imprisoned-palestinian-health-activist-shatha-odeh-is-a-beacon-of-resistance-globally/>

Imprisoned health activist Shatha Odeh continues to persist in the struggle
for the right to health and women’s rights as she sends letter from prison
for International Women’s Day

*Health and care workers in Slovenia fight for pay hikes and equal rights
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/17/health-and-care-workers-in-slovenia-fight-for-equal-rights/>*

Around 50,000 workers in the Slovenian health and care sectors went on
strike on February 16 protesting poor working conditions, low salaries,
outdated norms and regulations, and violations of the agreements
------------------------------
Short reads

*Cleaners at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London win NHS contracts
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/14/cleaners-at-great-ormond-street-hospital-in-london-win-nhs-contracts/>*

Under the leadership of the union United Voices of the World, different
sections of the staff at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London have
intensified campaigns to demand equal rights and dignity

*New Zealand Employment Court passes injunction to scuttle health workers’
strike
<https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/04/new-zealand-employment-court-passes-injunction-to-scuttle-health-workers-strike/>*

Even though the allied health workers’ unions in the capital Auckland
postponed the strike owing to Omicron surge, the employment court forced a
nationwide postponement
------------------------------

*Video: How common people fought the pandemic in India
<https://youtu.be/jGiM6efI3jk>*

Indranil of Peoples Health Dispatch speaks to Yogesh Jain and Sarah Nabia,
editors of COVID-19: A view from the margins, a recent book on the
resistance to the pandemic in India, with chapters written by 67 authors
from across the country
  <https://youtu.be/jGiM6efI3jk>
------------------------------
Data speaks
------------------------------
In case you missed it
In Turkey, health workers mark Doctor’s Day by going on strike
To mark the holiday, health workers across the country said they would be
on a two-day strike starting March 14 despite earlier warnings from the
Ministry of Health against the protests.
Global Voices•Arzu Geybullayeva
<https://globalvoices.org/2022/03/15/in-turkey-health-workers-mark-doctors-day-by-going-on-strike/>
The COVID-19 Impact on Women in India: Increased Material and Physical
Violence | NewsClick
The period of the Covid-19 pandemic has witnessed a dramatic worsening of
the conditions of ordinary women and girls, made worse by official apathy
and patriarchal attitudes of those in power.
NewsClick•Jayati Ghosh
<https://www.newsclick.in/The-COVID-19-Impact-Women-India-Increased-Material-Physical-Violence>
Caregivers advocate for migrant mothers
Home-based caregivers help women navigate Gauteng state hospitals that
force pregnant migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to pay for services
that should be free.
New Frame
<https://www.newframe.com/caregivers-advocate-for-migrant-mothers/>
Serbian Eurosong candidate Konstrakta addresses the limited availability of
healthcare - Mašina English
Who has access to healthcare in Serbia?
Mašina English•Mašina
<https://www.masina.rs/eng/serbian-eurosong-candidate-konstrakta-addresses-healthcare/>
Empresa Farmacéutica 8 de Marzo: How Cuba Marked International Women’s Day
in 1981 | NewsClick
In 1981, Cuba named its first chemical synthesis plant for production of
generic pharma products in honour of International Women’s Day. Forty years
since, it continues to march forward despite crippling sanctions and
economic blockade by the US.
NewsClick•Richa Chintan
<https://www.newsclick.in/empresa-farmac%C3%A9utica-8-de-marzo-cuba-international-women-day-1981>
ViiV will not license new game-changing long-acting HIV prevention drug to
generic manufacturers
MSF’s response to ViiV’s announcement for not pursuing a deal for its HIV
drug with generics
Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign
<https://msfaccess.org/viiv-will-not-license-new-game-changing-long-acting-hiv-prevention-drug-generic-manufacturers>
Sudan’s latest coup is crippling its frail health sector
Last October’s military coup has had a ripple effect on the country’s
healthcare sector.
Al Jazeera•Mat Nashed
<https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/3/3/sudans-latest-coup-is-crippling-its-frail-health-sector>
*People’s Health Dispatch is an initiative of Peoples Dispatch and the
People's Health Movement*
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