The post-2015 development agenda – what good is it for health equity? (instead of an editorial)
The post-2015 development agenda: What good is it for health equity?
The UN consultation on the post-2015 development agenda provides a crucial opportunity to reflect on the kind of future we want and how to get there. In a position paper* prepared by a drafting team of health advocates, we envision a future in which everyone enjoys the right to health.
While acknowledging the progress made on global health outcome indicators that are part of the current MDG framework, we highlight a number of weaknesses in this framework that need to be addressed in order to progress further and ensure that the benefits of globalisation are distributed equitably.
The heavy emphasis in the MDGs on development assistance and need for reforms in low-income countries should be balanced by equal attention to the need for high-income countries’ reform in areas such as climate change, global trade and finance, to avoid the erosion of gains made in wellbeing. Secondly, the focus on a few measurable outcomes has led to the neglect of other important aspects of development, not all easily measured, such as participation and democratic governance. Thirdly, global targets were set that were not sufficiently aligned to local needs and not disaggregated for different population groups. As a consequence we have seen the fragmentation of health systems, an uneven allocation of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and increased inequity.
We call for a post-2015 framework, that:
- Addresses the root causes of poverty and structural power imbalances, has universal applicability and is not only applicable to low- and middle-income countries;
- Recognises health as a right in and of itself and seeks to reduce inequities in health and other aspects of development, including through the use of disaggregated data in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health programs;
- Ensures broad participation in its preparation, monitoring of processes and outcomes and includes systems of accountability and governance that strengthen the building blocks of health systems in a comprehensive way;
- Establishes a clear financing framework that moves beyond ODA, is based on social justice and addresses the illicit outflow of funds from developing countries;
- Takes due attention to the three R’s (Regulation, Rights, and Redistribution) as principles for the global governance for health in policy domains within and beyond the health sector;
- Includes health and equity as outcome indicators in non-health development goals.
*Summary of the Beyond 2015 position paper for the thematic consultation on health in the post-2015 UN development agenda. The Medicus Mundi International Network (MMI) coordinated the drafting of this paper based on input by a wide range of civil society organisations. Lead authors: Mariska Meurs and Remco van de Pas, Wemos. In the end of December 2012, the final version of the position paper was signed off unanimously by the Executive Committee of Beyond 2015, submitted to the UN team and published on the website of the thematic consultation.
References
- Beyond 2015 paper (pdf): http://bit.ly/beyond2015-healthpaper
- Website of thematic UN consultation: www.worldwewant2015.org/health
- MMI thematic guide: www.bit.ly/mmi-beyond2015guide
MMI Network: Events, news and resources
………….
Network news: Emergenza Sorrisi – Doctors for Smiling Children
A “new” Network member
From 1 January, 2013 Smile Train Italia N.P.O. has changed its association’s name becoming Emergenza Sorrisi – Doctors for Smiling Children. Have a look at the organization’s new website and presentation in order to learn more about our “new” Network member.
Powerpoint presentation (as pdf)
Organization’s website
………….
Network news: Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network
EPN’s new Executive Director: Rev. Baraka Kabudi
On 1st January 2013, the board of the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) appointed Rev. Baraka Kabudi as the new Executive Director of EPN. Donna Kusemererwa will be leaving the EPN secretariat at the end of January, after 4 years of commitment to the Network.
Media release: www.epnetwork.org/new-ed
………….
Network news: Doctors with Africa Cuamm
È Africa – Contest and masterclass addressed to young European artists
“Tell us a story, about a faraway place, where the earth is red and the horizon seems endless. The story begins here, in a little hospital in the Tanzanian district of Iringa. Even the hustle and bustle of this small 200-bed facility can hide a multitude of stories. Your task is to tell us about Africa starting from that very health centre, where some depart this world and others are welcomed in.”
………….
Network news: Cordaid
2012 Cordaid HIV and AIDS award: and the winner is …YEI
The Hague, December 2012. Over the past four years Cordaid has awarded organisations and individuals for outstanding work carried out in the field of HIV and AIDS. The 2012 award goes to the Youth Empowering Initiative (YEI), an organisation that shows outstanding commitment and leadership in mobilising local resources to implement sustainable care and support initiatives for children living with or affected by
………….
Network resources: Cordaid, Memisa, action medeor
Making healthcare accessible
Every 90 seconds, a mother dies during either pregnancy or childbirth. For background information and news about Cordaid’s work on better and accessible healthcare in the poorest countries, have a look at the healthcare pages on the new (January 2013) Cordaid website.
Other MMI Network members who recently refreshed their website:
action medeor: www.medeor.de/en/
Memisa: www.memisa.be/en
………….
Network events: Medicus Mundi International
What’s up in 2013
Network members are kindly invited to publish their upcoming meetings in the “event calendar” of the MMI ePlatform and newsletter. On the other hand, there will be some key events in 2013 which attract our attention. Do you intend to go there? If yes, let us know. For registration to WHO events, please get in touch with the secretariat.
- 132st session of the WHO Executive Board
Geneva, 21-29 January 2013 - UN’s post-MDGs thematic consultation on health
High-level dialogue to conclude the consultation
Botswana, 5 and 6 March 2013 - World Social Forum on Health
Tunis, 26-30 March 2013 - Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly
Geneva, 20-28 May 2013 - 3rd Global Forum on Human Resources for Health
Recife, 10-13 November 2013
By the way, Medicus Mundi Switzerland now publishes an event calendar for the Health Network of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
International Health Policy: MMI updates
Bits and pieces of news on international health policy: each “MMI update” is 140 characters or less – these are the rules of the game on twitter. Just enough for a headline, eventually an author, a date, the source – and a link to the website where you find the full information. Have a look at some of our “tweets” published during the last month. As usual, it’s a bit much, so take it or leave it.
………….
Health systems strengthening
Health services, health financing
Universal health coverage
- The emergence of global attention to health systems strengthening. Tamara Hafner and Jeremy Shiffman
http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/28/1/41.full - Universal Health Coverage in the post-2015 agenda. Papers submitted during UN thematic consultation
http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/299641 - Public financing – the key to Universal Health Coverage. Rob Yates
http://uhcforward.org/blog/2012/jan/10/public-financing-key-universal-health-coverage - The road to Universal Health Coverage. Documentary on health financing by AIM-ZCABT and WHO WPRO, 2012
http://uhcforward.org/blog/2013/jan/10/road-universal-health-coverage-documentary-health-financing - Universal health coverage anchored in the right to health. Gorik Ooms et al. in: WHO Bulletin
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/91/1/12-115808/en/index.html - Choosing pathways that lead to Universal Coverage: What are the options? Di McIntyre, Equinet editorial
http://equinetafrica.org/newsletter/index.php?issue=143 - Health service financing for universal coverage in east and southern Africa. Di McIntyre, Equinet discussion paper
http://equinetafrica.org/bibl/page.php?record=2395 - Universal Health Coverage: Is India up for the challenge? Mridula Shankar and Radhika Arora
http://e.itg.be/ihp/archives/universal-health-coverage-india-challenge/ - Universal Health Coverage is in sync with the new geopolitical reality. Wim van Damme
http://e.itg.be/ihp/archives/universal-health-coverage-sync-geopolitical-reality/ - …and a “Happy New Year” video message from WHO: “In 2013 we will work to make universal health coverage (UHC) a reality.”
http://goo.gl/paoJ3
………….
Human resources for health
Migration of health professionals
- Health workforce: advances in responding to shortages and migration, and in preparing for emerging needs. WHO Secretariat report for 132nd session of EB
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB132/B132_23-en.pdf - Restructuring brain drain: strengthening governance and financing for health worker migration. TK Mackey
and BA Liang http://www.globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/view/19923
Civil society contribution to implementing the WHO Code on Int. Recruitment of Health Personnel in Europe. Mans et al.
http://bit.ly/WHI5ZO - Effective implementation of the WHO Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel. Reddy / Hegarty
http://bit.ly/13ywUJ0 - ‘Going private’: Medical specialists’ job satisfaction in the public and private sectors of South Africa. John Ashmore
http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/11/1/1/abstract - Tanzania’s health system and workforce crisis. Gideon Kwesigabo et al.
http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jphp/journal/v33/n1s/full/jphp201255a.html - Managing health worker migration: a qualitative study of the Philippine response to nurse brain drain. Dimaya et al.
http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/10/1/47/abstract
………….
Women’s and children’s health
Sexual and reproductive rights and health
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights after 2015: Back in the pre-Cairo MCH era? Thérèse Delvaux
http://e.itg.be/ihp/archives/srhr-post2015-back-in-precairo-mch/ - Review: addressing the challenge of neonatal mortality. H. Blencowe and S. Cousens
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tmi.12048/pdf
………….
Equity and human right to health
Social determinants of health
Poverty and social protection
- Health in the post-2015 development agenda: need for a social determinants of health approach. UN Platform on SDH
http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/300184 - Action:SDH. Electronic discussion platform on the social determinants of health created by WHO
http://www.actionsdh.org/Contents/About.aspx - Ethnicity, migration and the “Social Determinants of Health” agenda. David Ingleby
http://bit.ly/ZlxllZ - Inequality is at the heart of the debate of how to create a more sustainable world. Broker online dossier
http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/Dossiers/Inequality - Social and health equity and equality – The need for a scientific framework. Adriana María Correa Botero et al.
http://www.socialmedicine.info/index.php/socialmedicine/article/view/639 - What contribution of Right to Health to sustaining and extending international assistance for health? Forman et al.
http://bit.ly/Y74o1A - Human rights and health systems: Confronting politics of exclusion and economics of inequality. D Maru and P Farmer
http://hhrjournal.org/index.php/hhr/article/view/535/832 - Why are we failing on health equity and how can we do better in future? Gavin Mooney
http://bit.ly/101mkLl - We are failing on health equity because we are failing on equity. Paula Braveman
http://bit.ly/Yw0FKA - Health inequities: causes and potential solutions. Kalie Kissoon et al.
http://bit.ly/Yw00sO - Intersectoral governance for health in all policies. Structures, actions and experiences. WHO Europe
http://bit.ly/WHI3kG
………….
Global health governance: Focus on BRICS
- Outcome document: Second BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting, New Delhi, 11 January 2013
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=91533 - Understanding Brazilian global health diplomacy: Social health movements, institutional infiltration, ARV geopolitics
http://bit.ly/V6K9jT - Human security, multi-polarity, and Development Assistance for Health (focus on India and China). Karthik Nachiappan
http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/2012/12/31/human-security-multi-polarity-and-development-assistance-for-health/
………….
Global health policy and governance
WHO reform, WHO EB meeting
- 2013, an anniversary (World Development Report 1993, “Investing in Health”), and a time to take stock. Richard Horton
http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%2962185-0/fulltext - Health and human security. Susan Hubbard and Keiko Watanabe in: Special issue of Global Health Governance journal
http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/2012/12/31/volume-vi-issue-1-fall-2012/ - UN Global Health Panel for global health governance. TK Mackey and BA Liang
http://anesthesia.ucsd.edu/research/faculty-research/Documents/MackeyLiangSSMcomplete.pdf - Global health justice and governance. Jennifer Prah Ruger
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2188629 - Does foreign aid result in recipient governments spending less on health? Aid displacement debate cont’d
http://blogs.plos.org/speakingofmedicine/2013/01/08/aid-displacement-the-story-continues - Key issues for the development of a policy on engagement with nongovernmental organizations. WHO DG report for the 132nd session of the WHO EB
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB132/B132_5Add2-en.pdf - 132nd session of the WHO EB, 21-29 January 2013 in Geneva:
annotated agenda and documentation (not yet complete)
http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_eb132.html
………….
Health beyond 2015
MDGs and SDGs
- Health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. People’s Health Movement
http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/300158 - What are the politics? MDGs in a changing world. Neva Frecheville
http://cafodpolicy.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/mdgs-in-a-changing-world/
See above: other sections and “instead of an editorial”
………….
Noncommunicable diseases
Mental health
- Draft action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020. WHO secretariat for 132nd EB session
http://bit.ly/UFdnRh - Political priority in the global fight against non-communicable diseases. Anthony Maher and Devi Sridhar
http://www.jogh.org/documents/issue201202/11-Article%20Sridhar.pdf - No physical health without mental health: lessons unlearned? Kavitha Kolappa et al. in: WHO Bulletin
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/91/1/12-115063/en/index.html - Addressing global disparities in the burden of noncommunicable diseases: Call for Papers by PLOS Medicine Editors
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001360 - Global Mental Health – a growing crisis. Danielle Parsons, Lorea Russell and Alanna Shaikh
http://tomorrowglobal.com/global-mental-health-a-growing-crisis
………….
Way back in 2012…
- Global health in 2012: key health issues. WHO photo story
http://www.who.int/features/2012/year_review/en/index.html - Global health in 2012: A year in links. Amanda Glassman and colleagues
http://blogs.cgdev.org/globalhealth/2012/12/global-health-in-2012-a-year-in-links.php - 2012: Top 10 posts on the IHP blog
http://ow.ly/gP0J0 - …what we really needed: “2012 – top 5 list of the best public health top 10 lists”.
Courtney McNamara puts focus on SDH
http://www.healthypolicies.com/2013/01/a-top-5-list-of-the-best-public-health-top-10-lists
Follow the MMI Updates on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/mmi_updates
……………
MMI Network News are edited and distributed by e-mail by the secretariat of Medicus Mundi International. Network members (only) are kindly invited to send us your contributions.
You can get the monthly MMI Network News by sending a simple “subscribe” message to the secretariat. Please conctact us also if you have received the newsletter by e-mail, but do not want to be included any more in our mailing list.