Editorial: The heat is on

Dear reader,

The heat is on, and we are struggling with it. Just a few examples:

  • The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years and the related UN outcome document are expected to be adopted by a UN Summit in September, after a last hot phase of negotiations. But it might take the health sector another effort to warm up to the outcomes of this process.
  • Like other countries suffering from “donor pressure” and austerity measures, Greece is not only struggling with its finances and external debt, but also with sustaining basic social protection and services, including access to health. Outside the health sector, the political, economic and social crisis in many ways directly affects the health of the Greek population.
  • After hot debates at the World Health Assembly in May, WHO is still struggling with framing its non-state actors policy – which has direct consequences for other governance processes, e.g. the implementation of the Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs and the framing of a follow-up structure to the Global Health Workforce Alliance GHWA.
  • After the MMI Assembly in May and the adoption of the MMI Network Strategy 2016-20, the MMI secretariat is struggling with a lot of seasonal paperwork (MMI work plans and budget 2016, new WHO/MMI collaboration plan and more). And this in a moment when the seasonal heat wave has just arrived in our office in Basel with 35 degrees outside and almost the same temperature inside the former factory where once, in industrial times, thermostatic heads (!) were produced. So do not ask me about productivity and quality. Just look at this editorial…

High time to have a break – at least for those who can. The MMI secretariat will be closed for two weeks of summer holidays and back at work on 20 July – without any illusions that the hot times will be over by then.

Best regards,

Thomas Schwarz, Executive Secretary
Medicus Mundi International – Network Health for All

 

MMI Network: Events and resources

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Medicus Mundi Switzerland / MMI Network
How to bridge between health systems researchers and practitioners in the field of international health cooperation

Basel, 6-10 September 2015. The next European Congress on Tropical Medicine and international Health (ECMTIH) will be organized by the Swiss TPH, a member of Medicus Mundi Switzerland. The conference topic “The best science for global health challenges” is highly relevant for organizations working in the field of international health cooperation and global health. Medicus Mundi International will organize a parallel session in the scientific program of the conference on “How to bridge between health systems researchers and practitioners in the field of international health cooperation”. Medicus Mundi Switzerland participates in the Congress with a side event on “Swiss Health NGOs for Implementation Research”.

http://www.medicusmundi.org/en/contributions/events/2014/the-best-science-for-global-health-challenges

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Network event: i+solutions / MMI Network
“innovation brainstorm”: Symposium and MMI Network meeting

Amsterdam, 7-8 October 2015. The MMI Network meeting in autumn 2015 will be hosted by i+solutions. The internal MMI events (mainly: extraordinary Assembly, dinner) will take place on Wednesday, 7 October, followed by a public symposium on Thursday, 8 October organized by i+solutions and related to their 10th anniversary. A first announcement of the symposium will be published in the August newsletter. Save the dates!

http://www.medicusmundi.org/en/contributions/events/2015/innovation-brainstorm-symposium-and-mmi-network-meeting

 

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Network resource: Medicus Mundi Switzerland
Drug resistance: From mechanism to management

 

Basel, 10-11 December 2015. “Drug resistance is emerging globally as a major public health and economic problem. It is both urgent and highly complex, affecting key aspects of human and animal health as well as agriculture and the environment in many interconnected ways. Whether they target pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, parasites or their vectors, few drugs exist today, for which resistance has not already been documented. Atwo-day multidisciplinary symposium bringing together national and international experts from a variety of fields.” Symposium of the Swiss TPH, a member of Medicus Mundi Switzerland.

http://www.swisstph.ch/news-events/symposia/winter-symposium-2015.html

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Network report: Health Poverty Action
Tax, the extractives industry and health in Sierra Leone

Health Poverty Action has launched a report highlighting how making extractive companies in Sierra Leone pay more tax could provide vital support to the health system. Entitled ‘Healthy Revenues: How the extractives industry can support Universal Health Coverage in Sierra Leone’, the report explains how reducing tax breaks given to extractives companies, could bring vital funds to pay for healthcare, in a country where many still die needlessly.

http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/news/tax-the-extractives-industry-and-health-in-sierra-leone-new-report-from-health-poverty-action/

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Network reporting: Network members
Annual Reports

First Annual Reports 2014 of Network members are published on the organizations’ website. Have a look at them – and let us know when further reports (or further language version of the current reports) are available.