PHM-Exch> Fwd: Bulletin #47: The health cost of poverty

[Health PD]

This fortnight   The number of cholera outbreaks in the world continues to
grow, as does the number of infections and deaths. Cholera is a well known
disease of poverty, and its spread can be contained in a very simple way:
by ensuring access to clean water and sanitation. Still, there seems to be
little interest among countries in the Global North to support the response
to the outbreaks, at least while they remain far from their borders.
Similar occurrences can be observed in the field of re

Bulletin #47: The health cost of poverty
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/2f1b15ae?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
By People's Health Dispatch • 31 Mar 2023 View in browser
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/eea6a970?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
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This fortnight

The number of cholera
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/8e5c02bc?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>outbreaks
in the world continues to grow, as does the number of infections and
deaths. Cholera is a well known disease of poverty, and its spread can be
contained in a very simple way: by ensuring access to clean water and
sanitation. Still, there seems to be little interest among countries in the
Global North to support the response to the outbreaks, at least while they
remain far from their borders.

Similar occurrences can be observed in the field of research and
development of new drugs for tuberculosis
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/602f059a?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>,
another illness closely linked to bad living conditions. When new TB
treatments are discovered, patent-inflated prices can keep them out of
reach of many. A recent decision by the Indian Patent Office could help
change that.

Trade and commerce rules have an immense impact on shaping health care, as
do Free Trade Agreements. Recent negotiations on a new FTA
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/0ffd7603?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>between
India and the United Kingdom spurred a heated discussion on the
implications it would have on public health. Jyotsna Singh spoke to Roshan
John to learn more about this.

We look at commercial determinants of health in *Data speaks*, where we
bring highlights from the recent *Lancet *
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/1857f3eb?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*series
on commercial determinants of health*.

An initiative to reform primary health care reignited the discussion about
the importance of this part of health services in Australia
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/be8ea099?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>.
Health equity experts argue that any reform in the field should look at the
success of Aboriginal community-controlled health services and prioritize
community engagement.

The Boric administration is facing a potential turning point for the health
system in Chile
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/3c8bafe8?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>.
The private health insurance industry, ISAPRE, is staring at a major
financial crisis. This led to a debate: should ISAPRE be bailed out and
continue to operate, or should its failure be seized as an opportunity to
strengthen the social security system?

In Croatia
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/b08f7c66?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>,
straining working conditions caused by staff shortages and inadequate
health policies pushed doctors to protest. Meanwhile, Lula’s government in
Brazil
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/89779a69?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
announced the relaunch of the ‘More Doctors’ program. The program aims to
deploy healthcare professionals to marginalized areas facing a shortage of
medical staff. The move will likely increase access to care for 96 million
people.
------------------------------

*Video: What does the UK-India FTA mean for Indians' right to healthcare?
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/94dda787?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

India is currently negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United
Kingdom, along with other developed countries. These FTAs present many
serious concerns for developing countries, especially in terms of access to
medicine

<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/19ea49ad?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
------------------------------
Featured articles

*“No cool helicopters” to save those at risk of cholera
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/5a9b90fe?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

An ongoing pandemic of cholera puts at risk the lives of thousands of
people around the world, as shown by a growing number of outbreaks in
different regions

*Yes, we can stop patents getting in the way of TB treatment
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/634884b9?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

A day ahead of World TB Day, the Indian Patent Office rejected pharma giant
Jannsen’s application for a patent extension on drug bedaquiline

*New Australian proposals for health reform should follow the lead of
Aboriginal community-controlled health services
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/e0908738?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

The proposal for new primary health care reform in Australia is missing the
opportunity to move towards a community-based system

*Saving the ISAPRE would be one more injustice in the Chilean health system
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/25a5cea5?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

Private health insurance companies in Chile, commonly referred to as
ISAPRE, are failing to provide essential health coverage for all—and the
Boric administration is looking into changing the system

*Lula government relaunches ‘More Doctors’ program to recruit 15,000
professionals in marginalized areas
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/6883189f?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

15,000 professionals will be hired under the More Doctors for Brazil which
is a revamped version of the program which was launched during the
presidency of Dilma Rousseff
------------------------------

*Video: Doctors in Croatia stand up for a better public health system
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/f719578c?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>*

On March 18, thousands of physicians protested in Croatia's capital Zagreb,
following years of misleading promises by the Ministry of Health. The
doctors, supported by other health workers and patients, are asking for
more investment in the public health system, better staffing policies, and
responsible coordination of existing health resources

<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/fb365ecf?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
------------------------------
Data speaks

*Commercial determinants of health*
Source: Gilmore et. al, “Defining and conceptualizing the commercial
determinants of health”, The Lancet Commercial determinants of health
series, thelancet.com/series/commercial-determinants-health
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/d2059685?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>

This model illustrates our current pathological system that is damaging to
health. The black arrows signal the complex interactive nature of the
system: the straight arrows show how commercial actors shape political and
economic systems and are, in turn, shaped by them; the circular arrows
represent the escalating harms to health that can occur if norms, power,
and externalities are left unchecked.
------------------------------
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<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/14850a83?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
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The global incidence of cholera has been very low since the 1990s, barring
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<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/55b0ec15?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
Doctors in the UK strike for pay restoration : Peoples Dispatch
Junior doctors are also demanding investments into the National Health
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Peoples Dispatch•Peoples Dispatch
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/2b60d466?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
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Groups from India and nearly 40 countries express concern about a leaked
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Don't trade our lives away•Don’t trade our lives away
<https://peoples-health-dispatch.ghost.io/r/5eda9b88?m=7fbe802b-41b0-46c0-a257-5e71e0284f0a>
*People’s Health Dispatch is an initiative of Peoples Dispatch and the
People's Health Movement*
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