AFRO-NETS> The People's Health Assembly

[Claudio Schuftan <aviva@netnam.vn>]

The People's Health Assembly
----------------------------


PRESS RELEASE

DHAKA, Bangladesh 13th November 2000
BANGLADESH TO HOST PEOPLE'S HEALTH ASSEMBLY -
HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL EVENT "TO HEAR THE VOICE
OF THE UNHEARD TO GIVE HEALTH A CHANCE"

Over 1500 people from over 80 countries, from different walks of
life, are coming together, keeping their differences away "TO HEAR
THE VOICE OF THE UNHEARD TO GIVE HEALTH A CHANCE". The stage is set
for an historic international event in the health movement of the
world- The PEOPLE'S HEALTH ASSEMBLY will be held from 4th to 8th of
December at Savar close to the national monument (Jatiyo Sriti Soud),
near Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The event is the culmination of three years of preparatory action in
participating countries where it has elicited unprecedented enthusi-
asm and participation of a broad cross section of people from grass-
roots, health workers who have made a tangible change in their commu-
nities; health and social activists; peoples' movements; government
officials, researchers, policy makers and political leaders; volun-
tary organisations, international resource agencies, doctors, other
professionals and others like journalists will come together for this
historic event. Representatives from bilateral and multi lateral
agencies like the WHO, UNICEF and World Bank are also expected. Rep-
resentatives of professional medical organisations such as the Medi-
cal Associations from the South Asian Association for Regional Co-
operation countries are also expected. Preparations are underway in a
village atmosphere at Savar, near Dhaka. "We are overwhelmed by the
global response for this people-centred initiative. We are confident
of achieving the primary objective of this process- that is, to give
a "voice to the people and make their voices heard' " says Dr. Za-
frullah Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Core group member of the global or-
ganising committee.

The present changes taking place in the world, are widening socio
economic disparities and shrinking access to meaningful health care
services to large sections of society across the globe. Traditional
systems of health care and established social systems are under
threat. While older diseases like Tuberculosis, cholera, Malaria,
Kala Azar, Dengue and Plague are re-appearing in virulent and virtu-
ally untreatable forms, newer diseases like HIV/AIDS are also emerg-
ing, all ultimately affecting the poor more. "To ensure health, peo-
ple's basic needs for food, water, sanitation, housing, health ser-
vices, education, employment and security must be met. The policies
that the Globalisation process has unleashed do not make any provi-
sion to make basic needs for all a reality'' says Ms. Maria Zuniga
(Nicaragua).

Ms. Zuniga is the co-ordinator of International People's Health Coun-
cil (IPHC), a network of activists working on health and social jus-
tice issues. The negative impacts of the recent changes are evident
globally. For example, the changes in India in the last decade have
been rapid and the negative fallouts are evident. The Child Malnutri-
tion levels in India (53%) is (barring Bangladesh) the lowest in the
world, far worse in comparison to even Sub Saharan Africa where it is
20-25%.  The Infant Mortality Rate that had declined over the past
decades has stagnated at over 70 deaths for every thousand children
born. Drug prices have increased by over 40% making essential medi-
cines virtually unaffordable. Traditional systems of health care and
established social systems are under threat.

In the case of Bangladesh, the liberalisation process has reduced the
number of drugs under price control from 300 to 117. While the cost
of those drugs under price control (including 20 vaccines) has been
stabilised, there has been a steep increase in the price of drugs,
which are not under price control, virtually letting the market to
dictate their prices. In the absence of any mechanisms to orient and
educate doctors about the manufacturing and marketing gimmicks and
cost effectiveness of drugs, the prices have spiralled up to 300 per-
cent in the case of some drugs.

"There is an urgent necessity to place health on the top of policy
agendas in all countries in the world. Past policies and programmes
need to be examined in order to formulate new broad-based agendas for
action", says Pam Zinkin (MEDACT/ IPHC, UK), PHA's regional co-
ordinator for Europe. The People's Health Charter, that this event
will finalise through a global participatory process, will be the
guiding spirit behind health policy formulation in future. The char-
ter will be an action indicator for the resource agencies to set
their priorities right. "This is a unique opportunity for everyone
from the health sector from the south as well as the north, espe-
cially decision makers, to listen to the people. A very unique oppor-
tunity to centre stage the needs of the poor in the health planning
process" says Dr. Mira Shiva, co-ordinator of All India Drug Action
Network, an umbrella network that campaigns for a rational pharmaceu-
tical policy.

Mass mobilisation has been going on in many of the participating
countries in an unprecedented way. "The output of all country level
initiatives and mobilisation and what transpires at the national
level summits in many of the participating countries will feed into
the People's Health Assembly" says Dr. Ekbal, Vice Chancellor of Ker-
ala University (India) and an expert on decentralised health plan-
ning. There is no proper planning and effective health policies in
most of the third world countries.

The 5-day event is a dynamic process that will consolidate the mobi-
lisation and will carry the initiatives forward. It is designed to
address the crisis in health care consequent to the Globalisation
process that has seen savage cuts in government expenditure on health
and education. It also draws the attention of the world to the unful-
filled promise of "Health for All by 2000" and calls on governments
to renew the pledge and on people to press for their right to health.
The organisations represent over one thousand grass root, national
and international agencies and networks- ranging from policy makers
and professionals to NGO workers, academic bodies and peoples' move-
ments. "The synergy of this process will place health once again as a
global agenda," says Dr. Qasem Chowdhury, co-ordinator, PHA Global
Secretariat.

Claudio Schuftan
mailto:aviva@netnam.vn

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