HEALTH POVERTY ACTION

Health Poverty Action’s role is to strengthen poor and marginalised people in their struggle for health, prioritising those missed out by almost everyone else.
Health Poverty Action sees itself as having been born out of the primary health care movement, a few years after Alma Ata. Health Poverty Action has a distinct approach, summarised as a combination of three factors:

1. We emphasise the need for justice rather than charity.
   We work to tackle not just the symptoms of poor health, but its root causes. In particular, we recognise the profound importance of the social and economic determinants of health – hence our name, Health Poverty Action.
2. We prioritise those missed out by others.
   Development initiatives exhibit a natural tendency to cluster together, the same factors leading numerous organisations to the same areas. This leaves large populations with almost no support at all. They may be living in hard-to-reach areas, or are difficult to support for some other reason.
3. We specialise in providing a holistic approach.
   This is especially important for the poorest and most marginalised with little support. They face so many threats to their health. Tackling one in isolation might give the appearance of success, while in reality doing little more than changing the cause of death. Tackling numerous factors together can bring lasting improvements – and also give rise to creative linkages and innovations.

Health Poverty Action has grassroots programmes in Asia, Africa and Latin America as well as seeking to influence policy and practice at all levels. Most of its roughly 500 staff are based locally and come from the populations they serve.

Contact:
Health Poverty Action
Ground Floor 31-33 Bondway London SW8 1SJ United Kingdom
+44 (0)207 840 3777
general@healthpovertyaction.org
www.healthpovertyaction.org