Special: Welcome to EASP and IHP Network

For more than 50 years, the Medicus Mundi International Network has been promoting and defending the right to health, trying always to link the efforts undertaken by our members in the fields of international health cooperation and global health governance. In the coming years, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will strongly influence health policies and strategies around the world. The current SDG focus in the health sector is on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), but we know that achieving the right to health needs to go beyond UHC. As framed in our Network Policy, promoting Health for All means for us:

  • Promoting universal, equitable and affordable access to quality health services (promotion, prevention, care and rehabilitation) for all;
  • Promoting strong national health systems with a strong leadership by the government, strong accountability systems and a decisive role of communities and users of health services in the development, management and monitoring of health policies and services at all levels;
  • Promoting policies that address the social and political determinants of health;
  • Linking the local and national with the global level by getting involved in global health policy, global health governance and global governance for health, as many determinants of health and health care lie outside the scope of national policies and programs;
  • Promoting health policies and practices that are based on evidence;
  • Critically reflecting the role and contributions of international health cooperation to universal access to health, health systems strengthening and global governance for health.

The MMI Network supports its members through a set of specific contributions as defined by our statutes and specified in our Network Strategy 2016-20. To accomplish our strategy and sustain the network, we are constantly looking out for new members: Organizations working in the field of international health cooperation and/or global health who share our members’ vision of Health for All and are committed to actively participate in Network activities are welcome to join us.

Therefore I am absolutely happy to announce that the MMI Network is growing. Recently the Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública (EASP) and the International Health Policies Network (IHP Network) of the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp have been accepted as new members by the MMI Board. I am sure that the two new members will make the MMI Network even stronger and more effective and that they will help to increase the impact of our activities. Both new members are coming from the academic arena where they have a great reputation, and both have a lot of experience and background in the fields of global health governance and effective health cooperation, so I am sure that their contributions will enhance the work of our Network.

So, Dear EASP and IHP Network, great to have you on board, and welcome to your new family! Let’s work together for the right to health for all.

Carlos Mediano, Federation of Medicus Mundi Spain
President of Medicus Mundi International – Network Health for All

 

MMI Network: Events, news, papers and resources

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Network news: EASP
New MMI Network member: Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP)

“The Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP) is glad to join the MMI Network and be part of the efforts for improving global health governance, promote a greater effectiveness in the field of international development cooperation in health, and pursuing the health related SDGs with special emphasis on Universal Health Care. The EASP looks forward to participating in the different working groups of the MMI network and to further the dialogue with a wide range of civil society organizations and academic institutions for sharing knowledge and expertise, for working in new projects and for being a potential partner for future activities in the field of International Health Cooperation.” (EASP communication to MMI, February 2017)

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Network news: IHP Network
New MMI Network member: International Health Policies Network of the ITM Antwerp

“The International Health Policies Network (IHP Network) of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp is glad to join the MMI Network. The aim of the IHP Network is to boost the influence of scholars from the Global South on the global health agenda, with a focus on young health policy & systems researchers – aka “Switching the Poles”. Main activities include knowledge management, particularly towards providing a trusted source of curated health policy news and key global health & HPSR publications; offering a platform for blogs and articles, especially for authors from low-and-middle income countries; and networking with other global health actors. The weekly International Health Policies (IHP) newsletter (English) and fortnightly Politiques Internationales de Santé (PIS) (in French, and an output of the Health Services Delivery Community of Practice) are key outputs of the Network “ (IHP Network communication to MMI, February 2017)

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Network team: MMI HRH
Annual work plan of the MMI working group on Human Resources for Health

“Everybody should have access to skilled and motivated health workers, everywhere. Wemos’ advocacy capacity on this topic gains strength and impact because it is embedded in a network of global health NGOs under the umbrella of Medicus Mundi International. As working group on HRH we will focus this year on some important global health workforce policy developments such as the adoption of the 5-year implementation plan of the UN Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth and the Global Health Workforce Network. Civil society needs to be there for checks and balances. Join us if you’re concerned with (the lack of) human resources for health.” (Linda Mans, Wemos, MMI HRH working group coordinator, introducing the work plan 2017)

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Network team: MMI EHC
Annual work plan of the MMI working group on Effective Health Cooperation

“The environment of international health cooperation is changing. Our answers to a world where far too many people cannot meet their health needs and where people’s health is threatened by the social, economic and political conditions in which they are living might still be the right ones, but we have to adapt our questions. More than ever we need self-critical reflection on our work, finding new ways for analysing our data and experiences and creating the evidence we need for improving our engagement for the right to health. (Martin Leschhorn, Medicus Mundi Switzerland, MMI EHCworking group coordinator, introducing the work plan 2017)

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Network event: ACHAP
8th Biennial Conference of the Africa Christian Health Associations Platform
Maseru, Lesotho, 27 February – 3 March 2017

For updates, see the Facebook page of the ACHAP secretariat and follow #ACHAP2017 on Facebook and Twitter.

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Network event: MM Switzerland
Evidence Meets Decisions Makers – Better Use of Evidence for Better Health
Basel, 6 April 2017

The Swiss TPH Spring Symposium 2017 invites public health policy makers, statisticians, and global health specialists and students to review and discuss the current evidence on how the use of data and information by decision makers can be improved in the health sector. Topics will include: How decision makers make decisions; what works in promoting the use of evidence; teaching and training evidence; technology: from paper to electronics; methods: statistical modelling, systematic reviews and guidance development (The Swiss TPH is a member of Medicus Mundi Switzerland.)

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Network event: MM Switzerland
HIV Test and Treat: Are the 90-90-90 targets set for 2020 within reach?
Bern, 10 May 2017

“Get Tested! Know your HIV Status! Slogans we hear a lot from the ambitious treatment target ‘90-90-90’ introduced by UNAIDS in 2013. It means 90% of people who are HIV infected will be diagnosed, 90% of people who are diagnosed will be on antiretroviral treatment and 90% of those who receive antiretroviral will be virally suppressed by 2020. If we reach this goal the end of AIDS by 2030 is within reach. At the upcoming MMS/aidsfocus.ch conference we will discuss best practices, challenges and lessons learnt to reach the treatment target ‘90-90-90’ by 2020. We will analyse the situation in Switzerland and will draw conclusions from and for sub-Saharan Africa.” (aidsfocus.ch is a project hosted by Medicus Mundi Switzerland.)

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Network event: MMI Network
10th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH 2017)
Antwerp, 16-20 October 2017

“ECTMIH brings together scientists and experts from Europe and from all over the world, including many delegates from low and middle income countries. This biennial event is patronised by FESTMIH, the Federation of European Societies of Tropical Medicine and International Health.” The MMI Network and its working group on Effective Health Cooperation (MMI EHC) will be actively involved in ECTMIH 2017. We are happy to see that our proposal to integrate a track on international health cooperation will be implemented. Stay tuned for further news!

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Network paper: Doctors with Africa Cuamm
Improving our work through evaluation

“There is nothing more constructive than evaluating and measuring the results and impact of one’s work and verifying the processes involved in carrying it out – in other words, putting one’s performance to the test. That’s how we at Doctors with Africa CUAMM envision international health project evaluation, aware both of its intrinsic value and its strategic importance in formulating evermore effective programs and activities.” (Editorial by Dante Carraro in the December 2016 issue of Cuamm’s “Health and Development” journal: Focus on Evaluation)

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Network paper: Medicus Mundi Switzerland
Survey among MMS Members on Human Rights-Based Approaches to Sexual and Reproductive Health

“The Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland (MMS) recognises the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all in order to reduce poverty, advance development and promote equality and human rights. We commissioned the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute to conduct a qualitative survey to investigate how MMS member organisations operationalise the Human Rights Based Approach in sexual and reproductive health programming cycle.” (special issue of MMS Bulletin, February 2017)

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Network paper: Wemos
Clinical drug trials in Egypt: last resort for the poor

“Clinical drug trials in Egypt are often conducted unethically and are harmful to trial participants’ health. This is the conclusion of Wemos, SOMO and Public Eye in an article in the report ‘Dirty Profits 5’. The article is based on our research report ‘Industry-sponsored clinical drug trials in Egypt: ethical questions in a challenging context’, which was published last year. Driven to desperation, trial participants spoke of their plight. ‘I was so happy to have an opportunity for treatment after having lost hope. I signed the informed consent form immediately and did not care to read it in detail,’ says one cancer patient.” (Source: Wemos website)

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Network article: Cordaid
Trump decision disastrous for women in Africa

“Trump’s executive order to stop funding abortion services will negatively impact a whole range of family planning services for millions of women. “Quality sexual healthcare and family planning help prevent unwanted pregnancies. Trump undermines this. His decision will lead to more unsafe practices”, say Cordaid health experts Christina de Vries and Geertje van Mensvoort.” (Source: Cordaid news)

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Network campaign: Community Working Group on Health
Government must fulfil promises to health workers

“The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) would like to express grave concern about the recurrent strikes by doctors following failure by government to address their long-standing concerns. Presently, the country’s major referral hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo have literally closed their outpatients departments and cancelled emergencies, a situation that could result in prolonged human suffering and avoidable deaths.” (CWGH Press statement, February 2017)

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Network campaign: Health Poverty Action
Thank you migrant health workers

“Health Poverty Action and the People’s Health Movement UK are pleased to join with people across the UK who are saying no to the scapegoating of migrants and rejecting the politics of hate and division. We are supporting One day Without us the National Day of Action to celebrate the contribution of migrants to the UK and in particular to say a huge thank you to migrant health workers for their contribution to the NHS.” (HPA news, 20 February 2017)

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Network reporting: Wemos
Wemos: Highlights of the year 2016

Wemos presents an overview of the organization’s highlights of the past year – including the end of the European “Health Workers for All” project and the launch of the Geneva Global Health Hub – as a Prezi presentation. Nice,  but available in Dutch only.

 

(no) MMI updates on health systems and health cooperation and global health governance and policy

(no) MMI updates on health systems and health cooperation and global health governance and policy

For once, the monthly MMI Network news do not include the usual compilations of updates tweeted by the MMI Network secretariat and the MMI working group on HRH. The “MMI updates” will be back in the March issue of our newsletter. Until then, you are welcome to follow the updates on Twitter – and we recommend to you to have a look at the great weekly newsletter produced by our new Network member, the ITM IHP Network.