PHM Secretariat moves to Capetown, South Africa: Bridget Lloyd appointed Global Coordinator

From the 1st June 2009 the PHM Global Secretariat will be hosted by PHM-South Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.  Ms Bridget Lloyd has been appointed Global Co-ordinator.

For the last three years, from June 2006 to June 2009, PHM’s Global Secretariat has been based in Cairo at the Association of Health and Environment Development (AHED) and led by Dr. Hani Serag with the support of the Global Secretariat Committee (Dr. Jihad Marshal, Dr. Alaa Shukrallah, Dr. Ghassan Issa).

Capetown will be the fourth location of the PHM Global Secretariat.  From January 2000 – December 2002, the Secretariat was hosted by Gonoshasthaya Kendra in Savar, Bangladesh and led by Dr Qasem Chowdhury) and then from January 2003 – May 2006 in Bangalore, India when it was hosted by the Community Health Cell and led by Dr. Ravi Narayan.

Like each period of PHM co-ordination, much has been achieved during the Cairo period. Over the past three years our lobbying in Geneva has been more intensive, the International People’s Health University has grown and flourished producing a new generation of activists, the PHM has grown around the world and more circles and countries have been added to our community.  With the help of Skype, email and the support of the global secretariat, our governance has become more effective and responsive.

It was always the plan to find a new base for our Global Secretariat after about three years and that time has come. We take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in the Cairo period of the Global Secretariat for their excellent work and, in particular, we extend our thanks to Hani for his complete dedication to the cause of PHM and to strengthening our movement.

From the 1st June 2009 for the next two years the main office of the PHM Global Secretariat will be located in South Africa.

In late 2008 PHM issued a call for expressions of willingness to host the secretariat for the next two years and PHM South Africa responded.  The position of Co-ordinator was advertised on the PHM SA email list servers in early 2009 and a number of applications received.  The applicants were considered by the PHM Global Co-ordinating Committee and three members of the PHM South Africa committee and the decision was made to appoint Bridget Lloyd to the position. She will start work the on 1 June, 2009.

Bridget Lloyd has 19 years experience working in the Health, Human Rights and Development sector. Over the past three and a half years Bridget has co-ordinated the development of Global Health Watch (An alternative World Health Report, a publication of PHM, GEGA, and Medact). Between 2003 and 2005 Bridget worked on a part-time basis for PHM SA and did contractual work for other NGOs, and since the end of 2005 she has represented GHW on PHM’s Global Steering Council.

We welcome Bridget to this very important position and look forward to the further development of PHM over the coming Capetown period.

Although the Global Secretariat will be co-ordinated by Bridget from South Africa, we are pleased that Hani Serag and Azza Sallam will continue to serve PHM as part of a decentralized PHM Secretariat and so provide important continuity.

Fran Baum & Prem John (Co-Chairs, PHM Global Steering Council) on behalf of the Global Steering Council

10th May 2009