From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Bridget Lloyd</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:blloyd@phmovement.org">blloyd@phmovement.org</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><p>
<b><span>Meetings aim to address root causes of poor health - </span></b><span><span><span>04.07.2012</span> <span><br>
</span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>Anso Thom <br></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><a href="http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20033609" target="_blank">http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20033609</a> </span></span></span><span align="right" style="padding-right:4px;padding-bottom:3px"></span> <br>
</p>
<img src="http://www.health-e.org.za/images/text_large.gif" alt="text" height="15" hspace="3" width="14"> <span><b>CAPE
TOWN – Health and social justice activists as well as health ministers
and key policy makers from across the world will meet in Cape Town this
week to address the drivers of inequity which fundamentally impact on
the health of the poor.</b></span>
<p><span></span></p><p>Despite
unprecedented global wealth the world is experiencing a crisis of
economic instability, increasing inequality and environmental
degradation. </p>
<p>Two major meetings will draw together various role players from South
Africa and the rest of the world to discuss the issues that are
fundamental to the planet and to the country’s health and future
development, and plan actions. </p>
<p>The South Africa and National Health Insurance-focused National
Health Assembly (NHA) kicks off on Thursday and will end on Friday when
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi opens the global People's Health
Assembly (PHA).</p>
<p>The third PHA is described as “an assembly for and by people from around the world”. </p>
<p>The first PHA was held in Savar, Bangladesh in 2000. More than 1 500
people from around the world drew up and endorsed The People’s Charter
for Health, the PHM’s founding document. The second PHA was held in
Cuenca, Ecuador in 2005.</p>
<p>“The PHA provides a space for strengthening solidarity, sharing
experiences, mutual learning and joint strategising for future actions
at an international and global level,” the PHM said.</p>
<p>Around 1 200 participants from across the globe are expected to
attend the Assembly, particularly from low and middle-income countries. </p>
<p>The main themes at this week’s PHA include the global political and
economic context of health; social and physical environments that
destroy or promote health; and universal coverage and equity in
comprehensive and integrated health systems</p>
<p>The NHA
on Thursday and Friday will focus on South Africa, which
faces a health crisis with its quadruple burden of disease and its
fragmented and dysfunctional health system.
</p>
<p>For a country that boasts the highest GDP on the continent, it has
poor health indicators and faces massive inequalities in access to
health care. </p>
<p>The HIV/AIDS & TB epidemics, a growing burden of non-communicable
diseases, and high rates of injuries and fatalities impose a heavy
burden of disease on a fragmented and dysfunctional health system.</p>
<p>“Both the private and public sectors are themselves in crisis and
essentially unsustainable, and current government initiatives to
transform health care delivery are to be welcomed”, the PHM said in a
statement.</p>
<p>“The twin keys to a transformation that meets the health and health
care needs of all are the National Health Insurance scheme (NHI) and the
Reengineering of Primary Health Care (PHC),” they added.</p>
<p>The NHA will bring together government representatives, community
organisations, trade unions, social networks, individuals and community
health workers with health activists, civil society organisations,
academics, and health professionals from across South Africa. </p>The
University of the Western Cape will be the venue for the meetings with
grassroots activists from 60 countries attending. The PHA ends on
Wednesday.
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