Globalization & Health

The 30th anniversary of the 1978 Alma Ata Declaration was marked by a celebration in Brussels on October 17, 2008. During the program, two PHM activists were interviewed on the significance of Alma Ata and the way forward in the struggle for the right to health. Here are some excerpts from this interview with Arturo Quizhpe from Ecuador and Wim De Ceukelaire from Belgium.

What do you remember from Alma Ata and how did you learn about it?

Synthesis by Dr. Bert De Belder (intal) of the seminar "30 years of Alma Ata: The Right to Health is not for Sale" on October 17, 2008 in ULB, Brussels, Belgium.*

Two Philippine doctors, one an advocate of community-based health programs and the other a toxicology expert, said that corporate greed, import liberalization, and the lack of priority given by the government to local food production and to ensuring food safety are to be blamed for the entry of melamine-contaminated products in the country.

From the media coverage of the report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health, one might think it said nothing new. There are considerable inequalities in health, particularly between rich and poor. These arise from differences in incomes, access to health services, clean water, sanitation and education. There is a moral imperative to act on this social injustice. All of this could have been said at any time over the last 20 or 30 years.

Who is afraid of drug price regulation?

Certainly not the patients, who stand to gain much if prices of much-needed medicine are immediately reduced to low, very inexpensive prices. Definitely not the doctors, who will finally see their patients able to comply and adhere to their medical treatment. And absolutely not the general public, who may yet enjoy a better life when even the most essential and life-saving drugs become affordable.

The much publicized administrative order by the Department of Health allegedly aimed at eradicating the thriving black market of kidney trade may yet result in the exact opposite: the legalization and facilitation of the sale of kidneys and other human organs.

Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) warned that this administrative order is a red herring that contains contradictory provisions and paves the way for the virtual legalization of organ trade under the pretext of "management and regulation".

The contentious "generics-only prescribing" provision of the Cheaper Medicine Bill plays right into the hands of big pharmaceutical companies.

The group Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) warned that this provision serves only to distract legislators and stakeholders, divert attention from the flaws that need to be addressed, and prevent a thorough discussion of the more salient features of the bill.

The PHM is strongly supporting a letter opposing the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that continues to have a harmful role in hindering countries' efforts to increase investments in life-saving health, education, HIV/AIDS and other social programs.

Dear Managing Director,

Drug Action Forum - Karnataka, India - an independent, not for profit, NGO campaigning for rational drugs has launched "Novartis Boycott" campaign.

So please sign the online Petition Against Novartis at

http://novartisboycott.org/petition

In a forum on The Global Crisis and People’s Health, held in Balay Kalinaw at the University of the Philippines in Diliman last July 31, health activists pointed out that further militarization pose the greatest threat to health and peace.

The month of July ended with news on climate change, war, violence, militarization and emergence of new forms of diseases.