Editorial: A private story in a public space?
Dear reader,
This newsletter should have been sent to you on Monday already. And I could have published it today without any comment. You would not have even noticed the delay; it is still December anyhow. I could also pretend that nothing happened, and this might be really professional, really smart.
But I am not that smart, so instead of a political editorial, here are some really private news: Last Friday afternoon, the “Joachim” storm destroyed the whole roof of the house in the Jura hills, in Switzerland, where I live with my family. The roof, in one big piece, with tiles and trusses and a piece of the back wall of the house, was blown by a gust some 60, 70 meters into a neighbouring field … leaving the attic of the house wide open to the sky and my son Andreas and myself, who were both at home at that time, completely stunned, in state of shock.
A couple of minutes later, we had a team of the village fire brigade, a care team of the “Samaritans” and our neighbours with us, starting to rescue our belongings from the attic, to protect the lower floors of the house from the heavy rain, to care for us and to console us. On Saturday morning, a temporary truss was in place, covered by a tarpaulin, and construction and insurance experts gathered in our living room to discuss reconstruction. Since then, I have been busy as ad hoc emergency site manager – at the same time aiming at normalizing family live wherever possible.
After the first shock, good thoughts got stronger soon: all of us save and alive, the great solidarity around us, the professionals who were around when we really needed them. And then, when I raised my head again, I saw the television pictures of those affected by the typhoon in Mindanao, and I compared our small disaster with their incredible suffering, putting the record straight. Lucky us. And privileged. I knew it before, but there is a difference between knowing and experiencing…
Take it as a Christmas story. Or leave it, if you think that the public space of this newsletter should not be used for this kind of private business. Just to say it clearly: I am not sorry that this newsletter is delayed. It just happened.
Best regards,
Thomas Schwarz, Executive Secretary
Medicus Mundi International Network
MMI Network: News, Events and Resources
………………………..
MMI Network event: Graduate Institute – MM Switzerland
Executive Course on Intellectual Property, Diplomacy and Global Public Health. Geneva, 15-17 February 2012
“A key goal of the course will be to develop concrete tools for implementing the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property. Course faculty will include key representatives from the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, academia, industry, and nongovernmental organizations.”
………….
MMI Network event: EPN
Access to quality medicines: priority needs, priority actions for today and tomorrow. Addis Ababa, 21-23 March 2012
”The biennial Forum and General meeting of the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) is an opportunity for Network members to meet physically to discuss and make critical decisions in relation to the activities of the Network. In 2010, during the EPN Forum in Nairobi, participants from 20 countries discussed strategies for building sustainable pharmaceutical systems and for the delivery of quality pharmaceutical services within the church sector. They came away with a sense that the two day forum provided them with an immeasurable learning experience and access to information and resources that would help them do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. At next year’s Forum in Addis Ababa, the theme of discussions will be ‘Access to quality medicines: priority needs, priority actions for today and tomorrow’. Mark the date! More information will follow soon.”
………….
MMI Network event: aidsfocus – MM Switzerland
Advocacy and HIV. Berne, 17 April 2012
”Advocacy is a key component in the struggle towards an AIDS-free future and the fulfilment of the right to health for all. The aidsfocus.ch conference 2012 will focus on advocacy and open a space for sharing, discussion and joint learning on experiences, visions and strategies to end the epidemic.”
………….
MMI Network event: Swiss TPH – MM Switzerland
eHealth in proof and practice: Opportunities and challenges in international health. Basel, 8 May 2012
”Years ago the concept of ‘eHealth’ was discussed only in its general manifestations, but of course, things change. The focus of the spring symposium will be on the review of evidence and best practice of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) to enhance health services and population health over the past decade.
………….
MMI Network campaigns: Cordaid
Winners of the 2011 Cordaid HIV and AIDS Award
“The 2011 edition of the Cordaid HIV and AIDS Award focused on the linking of community and formal health and care services for PLHIV. This was a topic which many organisations could relate to as Cordaid received 263 valid nominations – 182 nominations for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and 81 nominations for Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs). The two award winning organisations – one CSO and one FBO – displayed vision and leadership around the linking of community- and formal health and care services for PLHIV, provided evidence of substantial impact and/or successes achieved in this field, demonstrated innovative ways to strengthen the linkages, actively involved PLHIV in the design, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of their programmes and activities and recognized the need for sustainability and scaling up of their activities.”
………….
MMI Network papers
Global health leadership and the mandate of the WHO
“After 60 years of esteemed leadership, the World Health Organization (WHO) is embroiled in a crisis of identity characterized by underfunding, incoherent policy prioritization and administrative squabbles. Her governance credentials in the global health field are under threat from vested interests and better funded entrants. By reviewing the current reform process in the dynamic context of a politico-economic timeline, this paper seeks to unravel underlying causes and explores propositions by applying a good governance model in the light of accountability and human right concerns.” Master Thesis 2010/2011 submitted to the Global Health Department, Maastricht University, by Iboro Ekpo Nta. Supervisors: Anja Krumeich, Maastricht University, and Remco van de Pas, Wemos. Thanks to the author and the supervisors for allowing us to add this great resource to the MMI collection of documents related to WHO reform.
On the other hand, Eduardo Missoni contributed a profound analysis of the WHO Reform process and its threats and opportunities to the December issue of the Bulletin of Medicus Mundi Switzerland: “A Healthier Political Functioning”: “There is no doubt that WHO quickly needs to reposition itself in a leading role in the wider global health governance scenario, supported by the necessary resources and trust to fully exert it. Trust that can only be built on its capacity to act independently from external undue influences, in the sole interest of public health and peoples’ right to ‘the attainment of the highest possible level of health.’”
………….
MMI Network reporting:
Annual Report 2010 of Medicus Mundi Italia
The Annual Report of Medicus Mundi Italy is available now in Italian language.
………….
MMI Network resources: i+solutions
Medicines procurement and supply management toolbox
“The procurement and supply management (PSM) toolbox project was initiated by the World Health Organization AIDS Medicines & Diagnostics Services (WHO/AMDS) in 2006. The goal is to disseminate information on the available PSM tools and to assist health staff in low and middle income countries in the various steps of the procurement and supply management process. Several WHO partners and other organizations contribute to the PSM Toolbox. i+solutions is WHO/AMDS’ main implementing partner for this project.”
International Health Policy: MMI Updates
It’s again a bit much this time, so take it or leave it, as usually… Since we started to use the real-time short messaging service “Twitter”, we published there already more than 1400 bits and pieces of news on international health policy. Each update is 140 characters or less – these are the rules of the game. Just enough for a headline, eventually an author, a date, the source – and a shortened link to the website where you find the full information. Have a look at some of our “tweets” published during the last month.
Busan High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness
29 November – 1 December 2011
- Political Statement of the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, Busan, 30 November 2011 http://www.aideffectiveness.org/busanhlf4/en/component/content/article/696.html
- Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness outcome document http://www.aideffectiveness.org/busanhlf4/en/component/content/article/698.html
- Healthier returns. Making aid for health care more effective. Espey et al., Save the Children, Nov 2011 http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/resources/online-library/healthier-returns-making-aid-healthcare-more-effective
- Yes, the Paris declaration on aid has problems but it’s still the best we have. Jonathan Glennie http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/nov/18/paris-declaration-aid-effectiveness-necessary
- Brave New World: Emerging donors and the changing nature of foreign assistance. Vijaya Ramachandran http://blogs.cgdev.org/globaldevelopment/2011/11/brave-new-world-emerging-donors-and-the-changing-nature-of-foreign-assistance.php
- Where is health on the Busan agenda? AfGH blog published on: The Broker http://bit.ly/uP2mHG
- Donors preach more than they practice. Louis da Gama in: The Broker Busan HLF blog http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/Blogs/Busan-High-Level-Forum/Donors-preach-more-than-they-practice
- Effective aid in a complex environment. Peter S Hill et al. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/12/11-098285/en/index.html
- Healthcare can tell us much about the dos and don’ts of aid effectiveness. Jonathan Glennie in: Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/dec/07/health-sector-aid-effectiveness
- Busan High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness: The will and the way. Reflections by J. Brian Atwood, Chair of OECD DAC http://blogs.cgdev.org/globaldevelopment/2011/12/brian-atwood-oecd-dac-chair-reflects-on-busan-progress.php
- ‘Value for money’ or ‘Results Obsession Disorder’? Marcus Leroy at: Broker Busan blog. Thanks to Anneke for reminding! http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/Blogs/Busan-High-Level-Forum/Value-for-money-or-Results-Obsession-Disorder
Access to medicines
and Doha+10
- Can TRIPS be reformed to meet public health needs? Documentation of MSF conference, 21 November 2011 http://www.msfaccess.org/content/revisingtrips
- The future agenda at the interface of global public health and IP – an outlook on the next ten years. Documentation of Graduate Institute symposium, 23 November 2011 http://www.graduateinstitute.ch/Jahia/site/globalhealth/cache/off/home/pid/11100
- The Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health ten years later: The state of implementation. Policy brief http://www.southcentre.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1639%3Athe-doha-declaration-on-trips-and-public-health-ten-years-later-the-state-of-implementation&catid=41%3Ainnovation-technology-and-patent-policy&Itemid=67&lang=fr
- Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, Adopted by WTO on 14 November 2001 (= Doha declaration) http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min01_e/mindecl_trips_e.htm
- Doha+10: MSF asks what’s next for TRIPS and health? Rachel Marusak Hermann on: IP watch http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/11/22/doha10-msf-asks-what%e2%80%99s-next-for-trips-and-health/
- WHO expert group to recommend binding R&D treaty negotiation. William New, Intellectual Property Watch http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/12/14/who-expert-group-to-recommend-binding-rd-treaty-negotiation
- Trilateral study on promoting access and medical innovation: public health, IP and Trade and public health: a decade of double standards. Tido von Schoen-Angerer in: Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tido-von-schoenangerer/trade-and-public-health_b_1102076.html
- Local production for access to medical products. WHO released a set of 8 new publications, December 2011 http://www.who.int/phi/publications/local_production/en/index.html
- The primacy of public health considerations in defining poor quality medicines. Paul N. Newton et al. in: PLoS Medicine http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001139
- Win-win? A critical analysis of tiered pricing to improve access to medicines in developing countries. S. Moon et al. http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/7/1/39
Global Health Governance
- What is ‘Global Health Diplomacy’? A conceptual review. Kelley Lee and Richard Smith in: GHG http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/2011/11/21/what-is-%e2%80%98global-health-diplomacy-a-conceptual-review/
- Are the “good times” over? Looking to the future of global health governance. Owain D Williams & Simon Rushton in: GHG http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/2011/11/21/are-the-%e2%80%98good-times%e2%80%99-over-looking-to-the-future-of-global-health-governance/
- WHO: how much is the world’s public health agency depending on private sources of funding? Debate update http://humanosphere.kplu.org/2011/11/update-private-funding-of-the-worlds-public-health-agency/
- Why we need a Commission on Global Governance for Health. Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, Thailand http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961854-0/fulltext
- What would a post-2015 agreement on development actually be for? Claire Melamed http://www.globaldashboard.org/2011/12/07/what-would-a-post-2015-agreement-on-development-actually-be-for/
Debate on International NGOs
in: The Broker
- International development NGOs: Retirement, replacement or rejuvenation? Michael Edwards http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/en/Articles/Development-INGOs
- More thinking, deliberating and visioning about the future of NGOs and civil society. Ellen Lammers in: The Broker http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/en/Articles/Inspiration-from-elsewhere
- NGOs: We cannot pretend to be agents of change if we are not prepared to change ourselves http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/en/Blogs/Future-Calling-blog/De-ossification-strategy
- International NGOs: weak at influencing power shifts. Chiku Malunga continues debate, at: Future Calling http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/en/Blogs/Future-Calling-blog/INGOs-weak-at-influencing-power-shifts
Human Resources for Health
Migration of health personnel
- WHO Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel: The evolution of global health diplomacy. Taylor/Dhillon http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/2011/11/21/the-who-global-code-of-practice-on-the-international-recruitment-of-health-personnel-the-evolution-of-global-health-diplomacy/
- Governance and human resources for health. Marjolein Dieleman and Thea Hilhorst in: HRH http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/9/1/29/abstract
- The financial cost of doctors emigrating from sub-Saharan Africa: human capital analysis. Edward J Mills et al. in: BMJ http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d7031
- No, British Medical Journal, the emigration of African doctors did not cost Africa $2 Billion. Michael Clemens, CGDev http://blogs.cgdev.org/globaldevelopment/2011/11/no-british-medical-journal-the-emigration-of-african-doctors-did-not-cost-africa-2-billion.php
- Lay health worker attrition: important but often ignored. Lungiswa Nkonki et al. in: @WHOBulletin http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/12/11-087825/en/index.html
- National profiles of migration of health professionals. MoHProf collection of country profiles and research findings http://www.mohprof.eu/LIVE/news.html
- Health professional mobility and health systems: evidence from 17 European countries. PROMeTHEUS study report, 2011 http://www.euro.who.int/en/who-we-are/partners/observatory/publications/studies/health-professional-mobility-and-health-systems.-evidence-from-17-european-countries
- The life of health students and professionals in developing countries: A snapshot. Mesrak Belatchew http://www.capacityplus.org/Life-of-Health-Students-and-Professionals
- Poor countries can keep doctors local. Manuel M. Dayrit http://www.scidev.net/en/health/health-systems/opinions/poor-countries-can-keep-doctors-local-1.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=en_opinions
- Health Worker Migration Global Policy Advisory Council reconstituted http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/global-health-development/what-ghd-will-do/health-worker-migration/our-past-work – Overview and members: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/docs/GHD/Overview%20of%20the%20Council.pdf pdf
- Moving jobs to the center stage. Outline of World Development Report 2013 (!) http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTNWDR2013/Resources/8258024-1320950747192/8260293-1322665883147/WDR-2013-Jobs-Outline.pdf pdf
Climate and Health
Durban Summit
- First Global Climate and Health Summit, Durban, 4 December 2011: Health leaders call for urgent action on climate http://www.climateandhealthcare.org/health-leaders-call-for-urgent-action-on-climate-2/
- Durban Declaration on Climate and Health, 4 December 2011 http://www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/Durban_Declaration_on_Climate_and_Health_Final.pdf
- Global Climate and Health Summit: “We don’t want Africa to be the burial ground of Kyoto!” Lietje Petri was in Durban http://getinvolvedinglobalhealth.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-dont-want-africa-to-be-burial-ground.html
- Health at the Durban Climate Change Conference, 29 November – 10 December 2011. Collection of resources by WHO http://www.who.int/globalchange/mediacentre/events/2011/durban_climate_change_conference/en/index.html
- Climate change and health: Policy priorities and perspectives. Anthony J. McMichael, December 2011 http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/papers/view/180439
Mother and child health
Reproductive health and rights
- Global review of key interventions, commodities and guidelines for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health http://www.who.int/pmnch/topics/part_publications/201112_essential_interventions/en/index.html
- Saving mothers’ and children’s lives: What lies ahead in 2012? Caroline Green http://www.globalhealthcheck.org/?p=455
- Eliminating health inequities: Every woman and every child counts. Report by PMNCH and IFRC, November 2011 http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/membernews/2011/20111129_ifrc_report/en/index.html
- Women’s health is more than an economic issue. Jayati Ghosh at: Poverty matters http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/nov/23/womens-health-more-than-economics
- Access to contraception as a human right. Maria Pawlowska http://www.healthypolicies.com/2011/12/access-to-contraception-as-a-human-right/
- Why sex is a dirty word. Attitudes to sex and abortion in donor countries limit contraception funding. Sarah Boseley http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/sarah-boseley-global-health/2011/dec/05/contraception-and-family-planning-senegal
- United States aid policy and induced abortion in sub-Saharan Africa. Eran Bendavid et al. in: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/12/11-091660/en/index.html
World AIDS Day
1 December 2011
- We are all unprotected. On World Aids Day, the Global Fund is collapsing. Sarah Boseley http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/01/hiv-aids-global-fund-collapse read also: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/dec/01/aids-hiv-not-cut-funding
- Global HIV/AIDS response. 2011 epidemic update and health sector progress towards universal access. WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/progress_report2011/en/index.html
- Nearly 50% of people eligible for ART now have access to lifesaving treatment. UNAIDS World AIDS Day report 2011, pdf http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2011/JC2216_WorldAIDSday_report_2011_en.pdf
Equity, social determinants
- Role of within-country wealth-related inequality in 28 countries in SS Africa. AR Hosseinpoor et al. in: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/12/11-087536/en/index.html
- ACTION:SDH. New tool on Social Determinants of Health now available http://bit.ly/rBjlT9
- Outcome of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health. Report by WHO Secretariat, November 2011 (for WHO EB) http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB130/B130_15-en.pdf
- European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities. New website developed and managed by EuroHealthNet http://www.health-inequalities.eu
- One conference, four declarations. Clarity and contradiction at the Rio SDH Conference. R Loewenson in: HDM (pdf, p. 8) http://www.ghd-net.org/sites/default/files/Health%20Diplomacy%20Monitor%20Volume%202%20Issue%205.pdf
Other topics
- Ending violence against women: A public health imperative. Amanda Klasing http://www.hhropenforum.org/2011/12/ending-violence-against-women-a-public-health-imperative/
- More money or more development: What have the Millennium Development Goals achieved? Ch Kenny & A Sumner, http://www.cgdev.org/content/publications/detail/1425806/ Working Paper
- “Value for Money” in the health sector: not just a donor agenda. Bruno Meessen http://www.healthfinancingafrica.org/3/post/2011/12/value-for-money-in-the-health-sector-not-just-a-donor-agenda.html
- The future of global immunization. Will the promise of vaccines be fulfilled? Stephen L. Cochi, CSIS, December 2011 http://csis.org/files/publication/111205_Cochi_FutureGlobalImmun_Web.pdf
- World malaria report 2011: death rates are falling, yet shortfall in funding might slow progress http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2011/malaria_report_20111213/en/index.html
- An approach to addressing governance from a health system framework perspective. Inez Mikkelsen-Lopez et al. in: BMC http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/11/13/abstract¨
- Health at a Glance 2011. Comparisons of key indicators of health and health systems. OECD November 2011 http://german-practice-collection.org/en/download-centre/doc_download/992
- The Commission on Macroeconomics and Health: 10 years on. Pamela Das and Udani Samarasekera in: Lancet http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961828-X/fulltext
- Health technologies and innovation in the global health arena. Sidhartha R. Sinha and Michele Barry in: NEJM http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1108040
- Implementation of the global strategy and action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs. Report by WHO Secretariat http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB130/B130_7-en.pdf
- Responsible governance for mental health research in low resource countries. M. Taghi Yasamy et al. in: PLoS Medicine http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001126
- Election of the WHO Director-General: only one candidate proposed: Margaret Chan, current WHO DG. WHO media release http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2011/dg_election_20111121/en/index.html
- Neglected zoonotic diseases: Community-based interventions for prevention & control. Shaw et al., WHO 2011 pdf http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241502528_eng.pdf
- Private vs. public strategies for health service provision in resource-limited settings. Montagu et al., UK aid 2011 pdf http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/PDF/Outputs/SystematicReviews/Private_v_Public_2011Montagu_report.pdf
- Critical theories: Emancipating public health systems research and education from private interests. JP Unger et al. http://hcs.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/hcs/article/view/50/74
- Yes, it’s those damned good intentions. Tom Paulson worries about for-profit and policy-making philanthropy (US focus) http://humanosphere.kplu.org/2011/11/concerns-about-for-profit-personal-benefit-and-policy-making-philanthropists
- Out of the dark: Meeting the needs of children with TB. Médecins Sans Frontières, November 2011 pdf http://www.msfaccess.org/sites/default/files/MSF_assets/TB/Docs/TB_report_OutoftheDark_ENG_2011_Final.pdf