Skip to main content

WHO watch experience

By
By Kemi Bello from PHM Nigeria

The WHO watch experience is definitely one I can never forget. I had a practical insight into the dealings and proceedings of the WHO. I learnt more things about the WHO in the few days I spent in Geneva, than I had learnt in the 6 years I spent in Medical School! It kind of struck me how much member states had the power to bring about positive changes to health that they never use. It also availed me the opportunity to meet with my Country (and some other African Countries) delegation who were much more open to discussion than they would ordinarily have been back home.

How can I also forget the wonderful dinner with Dr. Halfdan Mahler, an ex- WHO DG who shared with us stories and experiences money can’t buy?

In all, it was a very nice experience though I left Geneva with many more questions than I went with; from why should an individual address the assembly and have more time than that allocated to each MS to why the WHO has allowed itself to be boxed into a corner and now have to dance to the tunes of some of these ‘big actors’ and to why there is always so much emphasis placed on the wrong things?

However, I see a new ‘people oriented’ WHO coming, though it may take some time and hard work but nothing good usually comes easy and above all, I am excited to be a part of this process… Viva Healthcare!!!

****

Kemi from PHM Nigeria and John Mahama from PHM Ghana have written a detailed report on the WHO watch at the 64th World Health Assembly which we will share with all soon.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Creating an Africa-wide People's Health Movement

By
Our manifesto As the IPHU participants from the 'Africa Group’ we have agreed that in order to strengthen the movement, we would each need to first start by working locally, strengthening the PHM activities in our respective countries, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. We commit to support each other in developing and strengthening the PHM in each of our countries as we work towards an Africa-wide People’s Health Movement. The role of PHM is to bring together organisations and individuals already working for the Right to Health under the banner of this shared vision of “Health for all, now!” PHM Africa is an organisation, not a movement. Anyone who endorses the charter and is working in the struggle for the right to health for all can join PHM Africa. The objectives and activities of our campaign are defined and developed by our members. We will strive to further the movement starting on this blog by connecting with others, sharing experiences,...
Post a Comment
Read more

PHA3-Regional Statement- East and Southern Africa

By
REGIONAL STATEMENT – EASTERN & SOUTHERN AFRICA PEOPLE’S HEALTH ASSEMBLY 3 CAPE TOWN 11 JULY 2012 For us the country circle is fundamental. Our starting point would be to identify International People’s Health University (IPHU) alumni in the country; these need to identify an issue and seek local allies who identify with or are working on the issue, begin to develop a campaign and then ask the region for support including connecting them with expertise globally. We have established four working country circles that have lessons we can learn from. We need to develop the embryonic circles in the region through outreach support from the regional level. This can be done by developing a manual based on the lessons from countries (case studies from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana Kenya, as well as experiences from other regions) consisting of principles such as: We need a rallying point or issue that is centred around the right to health (RTH) and this can take di...
Post a Comment
Read more

Presidential Summit on Universal Health in Nigeria: Excerpts

By
Shared by PHM Nigeria: --- Forwarded message ---------- From: gbenga adedayo < omindav@yahoo.com > Date: Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 12:30 PM Subject: Presidential Summit on Universal Health in Nigeria: Excerpts Dear All, This is just to share citation from the one-day presidential summit that held in Abuja on Monday (10th March). Objective of Summit according to the minister of Health: Minister of Health, Professor Oyebuchi Chukwu, said the aim of the summit, among other objectives, was to unlock the opportunities for universally accessible, effective, efficient and equitable healthcare in Nigeria. He stated that the summit was meant to demonstrate government's commitment to achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria. According to him, ensuring health for majority of people would require both availability and accessibility to health infrastructure and services. “The summit is not stopping all current efforts to achieving universal health cov...
Post a Comment
Read more