<br>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">The
People<span lang="JA">’</span>s Health Movement:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:#9a9a00">An
opportunity to put climate</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:#9a9a00">change and
occupational health</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:#9a9a00">onto a
social justice agenda for</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:#9a9a00">health</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Leslie
London, Louis Reynolds, James Irlam</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">On behalf
of the People<span lang="JA">’</span>s Health Movement</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Photo by
PHM</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Afr
Newslett on Occup Health and Safety 2011;21:55<span lang="JA">–</span>6 <span lang="JA">• </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">55</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">The
People’s Health Movement (PHM) is a</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">global
network of civil society groups, researchers,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
activists in health advocacy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">that
works toward the revitalization of Primary</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Health
Care and seeks to address the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">social
determinants of health, including, in</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">particular,
the growing inequity within and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">between
nations. Nowhere is the need for this</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">approach
starker than in the challenge that</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">climate
change poses for global health equity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">The
World Health Organization (WHO)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">estimates
that human-induced climate change</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">already
claims over 150,000 lives every year</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">(1).
The health impacts of climate change include</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
dire consequences of more extreme</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">weather
events such as hurricanes, heat waves,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">droughts
and floods; and the spread of infectious</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">diseases
with high mortality, including</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">cholera
and gastroenteritis, particularly in water-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">stressed
communities.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">In
countries already classified as ‘waterstressed’,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">such
as South Africa,
demand for</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">water
exceeds the available supply, or use is</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">limited
by the poor quality of potable water.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">With
climate change, hotter and drier conditions</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">will
increase water shortages, with a</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">consequent
increase in food insecurity, hunger</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
malnutrition (2). In addition, an increasing</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">number
of very hot days each year</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">will
affect the ability of people to carry out</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">daily
tasks, including their capacity for income-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">generating
work. This will mean a disproportionate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">economic
burden on already</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">marginal
populations (3).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">With
regard to malaria, already one of the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">main
causes of infant and maternal mortality,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">climate
change will alter the breeding environments</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">of
the anopheles vector, resulting in</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">drying
of some areas with reduced transmission,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">but
simultaneously rendering previously</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">unaffected
areas more suitable environments</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">for
these organisms. As a result, malaria control</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">programmes
will be more difficult to plan,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">posing
particular challenges to countries in</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">sub-Saharan
Africa (4).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">The
above considerations illustrate how the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">impacts
of climate change will be felt disproportionately</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">in
vulnerable populations, such as the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">very
young, the elderly, the sick, the poor and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">those
required to work in the hot sun or other</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">hot
settings. These impacts will be particularly</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">severe
in developing countries struggling to</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">meet
the Millennium Development Goals and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">particularly
in sub-Saharan Africa, where more</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">people
already die from the effects of climate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">change
than anywhere else (1).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">The
environmental impacts of climate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">change
will be impossible to reverse in the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">coming
decades, yet many of the health effects</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">can
be avoided or controlled right now</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">by
means of tried and tested public health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">measures. These measures include
prioritiz-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">ing,
above commercial or leisure purposes,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
provision of clean water and sanitation for</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">human
use; widespread immunization; effective</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">disease
surveillance and control; disaster</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">preparedness;
effective occupational health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">programmes;
and access to safe and adequate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">food
from locally-grown crops suited to waterscarce</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">conditions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Moreover,
many of the measures needed</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
prevent climate change have public health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">benefits.
For example, reducing the use of private</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">vehicles
in favour of public transport, cycling</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
walking will not only reduce greenhouse</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">gas
(GHG) emissions, but also improve</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">air
quality, increase physical activity levels and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">reduce
obesity, leading to better respiratory</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health,
fewer obesity-related illnesses, and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">fewer
premature deaths.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Environmental
justice is a key element of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
Right to Health (5, 6). Many civil society</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">organizations
campaigning for environmental</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">justice
have found a base in the Right to</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Health
programmes of the PHM, which has</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">its
roots in grassroots community movements</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
owes its genesis to many health networks</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
activists who have been concerned by the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">growing
inequities in health over the past 25</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">years.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">PHM
believes that the promise of the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Right
to Health will only be effectively realized</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">if
civil society is active in pursuing its</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health
rights. These rights include a range of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">socio-economic
entitlements beyond access to</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health
care services, such as adequate housing,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">clean
water, safe sanitation, good nutrition,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
a safe and sustainable environment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">As
an alternative to the assemblies held by</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
WHO, PHM convenes a periodic gathering</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">of
civil society organizations and movements</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">under
the banner of a People’s Health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Assembly
(PHA). The 3rd PHA (PHA3),</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">scheduled
to take place in South
Africa in July</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">2012,
will be a global event bringing together</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health
activists from across the world</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
share experiences, analyse the global health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">situation,
and develop civil society strategies</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
advance health for all. It is an opportunity</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
reassess, redirect and re-inspire.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">The
PHA3 programme will include both</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">first-hand
testimonies from communities affected</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">by
threats to their health and analyses of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health
situations across the globe. It will focus</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">on
moving from analysis to action, with sufficient</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">time
and process to facilitate discussions</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">on
strategy, future activities and movement</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">building.
Themes provisionally identified for</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
PHA include the Social Determinants of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Health,
Economic and Political Architecture,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Building
Sustainable Health Systems, Voices of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Resistance,
Actions and Change, and Watching</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Global
Processes and Institution.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">However, with the growing recognition</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">that
climate change poses very real and substantial</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">threats
to health, particularly for populations</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">in
developing countries, the organizers</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">have
identified the impact of climate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">change
on health as a key issue on the agendas</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">of
health activists in PHM. We therefore</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">would
like to invite readers of the newsletter</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
participate in pre-assembly mobilization</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">activities
currently underway in the African</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">region
under PHM’s auspices, with a view to</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">organizing
nationally and regionally around</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">climate
change and health. PHA3 offers an</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">opportunity
to gather and present testimonies</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
first-hand experiences as a basis for</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">learning
and joint action; to discuss and suggest</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">amendments
to the People’s Charter for</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Health;
and to link workplace health, climate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">change,
and the right to health. The main objectives</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">of
pre-assembly mobilization are to</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">strengthen
collaboration and encourage inspiring</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">exchange
amongst PHM activists and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
increase participation and grassroots voices</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">on
themes such as climate change at PHA3.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Occupational
health practitioners are familiar</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">with
the hazards posed by unsafe environments</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
working populations. Climate</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">change
is likely to exacerbate many of these</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">threats.
We need to extend our occupational</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">health
practice to make the links between</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">occupational
and environmental health hazards</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">on
the one hand, and, on the other hand,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">broader
advocacy for the health of populations</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">living
in the global south who will bear the</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">brunt
of climate change. For example, there</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">is
already work in civil society groups lobbying</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">for
improved ‘bicycle-friendly’ cities,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">but
much more could be done legislatively</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
strengthen public transport and discourage</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
use of motor cars. Weaning the public</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">(and
government) off their carbon dependency</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">should
not be seen as simply a cost to local</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">coffers
but as an investment for a healthier,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">more
sustainable and just society (7).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">PHM
is also aware that health systems</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">themselves,
particularly in wealthy industrialized</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">countries
such as the UK,
contribute substantially</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">to
climate change through their own</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">GHG
emissions., Unless health systems become</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">greener
themselves, not only will they be</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">unsustainable,
but they will add to the burden</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">of
disease. One key aspect of making health</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">systems
greener and more sustainable would</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">be
to shift the emphasis away from hospitalbased,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">doctor-centered
models to community-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">based
models that incorporate more community</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">and
mid-level health workers. With</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the
necessary political will and a participative</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">multisectoral
approach, massive reductions in</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">GHG
emissions can be achieved and a large</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">number
of jobs created simultaneously.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">WHO
recognizes that in order to meet</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular">the threats posed by climate change,
partner</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">ships</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">are needed between international agencies,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">government departments, non-governmental</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">organizations, industry, professional</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">groups and local communities. Knowledge</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">and information need to be shared and people</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">need to be empowered with choices that</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">will benefit their own health and that of their</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">communities in the long run. PHA3 provides</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">an opportunity for PHM and other health and</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">social advocacy groups in the African region</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">to reflect on the public health threats posed</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">by climate change, and to identify opportunities</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">for comprehensively addressing an issue</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">that affects us all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">PHM welcomes any interested individuals</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">and organizations to get involved by contacting</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">Anneleen De Keukelaere from the global</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">secretariat at <a href="mailto:pha3@phmovement.org">pha3@phmovement.org</a> or by</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">seeking more information at www.phmovement.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">org. For more information on the processes</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">taking place in Africa, please
contact Linda</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black">Mashingaidze at <a href="mailto:linda@phmovement.org">linda@phmovement.org</a>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:#9a9a00">References</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">1. The
Health and Environment Linkages Initiative</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">(HELI).
World Health Organization. See http://</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black"><a href="http://www.who.int/heli/risks/climate/climatechange/">www.who.int/heli/risks/climate/climatechange/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">en/
(accessed 15-09-2011).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">2. Patz
JA, Campbell-Lendrum D, Holloway T, Foley</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">JA.
Impact of regional climate change on human</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">health.
Nature 2005;438(17):310<span lang="JA">–</span>7.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">3.
Kjellstrom T, Holmer I, Lemke B: Workplace heat</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">stress,
health and productivity - an increasing</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">challenge
for low and middle-income countries</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">during
climate change. Global Health Action</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">2009;2:10.3402/gha.v2i0.2047.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">4. Tanser
FC, Sharp B, le Sueur D. Potential effect of</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">climate
change on malaria transmission in Africa.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Lancet
2003;362:1792<span lang="JA">–</span>8.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Bold;color:black">Leslie London, Louis Reynolds, James Irlam </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">On behalf
of the People<span lang="JA">’</span>s Health Movement</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">People<span lang="JA">’</span>s Health Movement South Africa</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">129 Rochester Road</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Observatory
7925</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">Cape Town</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">South Africa</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">tel: +27
21 447 5770</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:CronosPro-Regular;color:black">email: <a href="mailto:coordinator@phmsouthafrica.org">coordinator@phmsouthafrica.org</a>
</span></p>
<br>