PHM Africa Learning Space

By CWGH  THE current stalemate between government and the striking doctors over poor working conditions, poor remuneration and absence of the tools of trade has taken too long to address and has caused untold suffering and deaths across the country. Doctors in the country’s public health institutions have been on strike since August this year. So far, the government fired at least 435 doctors after they turned down its offer of 70% salary increment. An offer by telecommunication mogul Strive Masiyiwa’s Higherlife Foundation to pay the doctors has divided the striking medical practitioners, who fall under the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA). A splinter association with suspected links to the government, the Progressive Doctors’ Association of Zimbabwe (PDAZ), was launched recently to represent those willing to go back to work, further complicating the dialogue process. The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), which is mediating in the protracted labour di...

A small group from the People’s Health Movement South Africa protested in front of parliament highlighting the lack of access to affordable and healthy food and the burden of malnutrition, undernutrition and obesity in South Africa.  Read more on Daily Maverick: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-12-10-protesters-demand-that-poor-communities-have-access-to-healthy-food/

Maziko Matemba from PHM Malawi appointed as the Community Health Ambassador in Malawi on UHC Day. PHM Malawi attended the commemorations including the launch of the Community and Primary Health Care acceleration plan.

As we mark the International Universal Health Coverage day, December 12 , under the theme “Keep the Promise”, it is crucial to highlight the World Health Organization (WHO)’s policy incoherence regarding misoprostol and mifepristone. Is the WHO keeping the promise of delivering universal health for all? WHO’s policy incoherence regarding the status of misoprostol and mifepristone constitutes a significant barrier to wider access to safe medical abortion. WHO must keep the promise of UHC and unequivocally endorse prompt low cost access to misoprostol and mifepristone including appropriate advice on usage and precautions. This comment addresses the global issue taking Uganda as a case study.   Access to essential health care is the ‘promise’ of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). It is also a fundamental human right. The mortality burden globally associated with unsafe abortion is horrendous and could be dramatically reduced if prompt low cost access to safe medical abortion ...

The title to the COPASAH Symposium alone set the pace to this Analysis, “Leaving no one behind: Strengthening Community Centred Health Systems for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals”. This title in my mind alludes to a commitment to serve a people and humanity through a more democratic approach that allows them to be involved in their own health challenge solving and development. It is important to note that many marginalized people’s lives in the community are in jeopardy the world over hence the need for community ethos and creation of a conversation between grassroots practitioners, policy advocates, research and academia, policy makers and the implementer. The symposium encased a motley of approaches from the grassroots, practitioners, researchers and academia, policy makers and implementers from all over world, uniquely modeled to gainfully engage members of community and their leaders to improve governance and encourage community accountability. While COPASAH has been ru...

The 69th session of the WHO/ AFRO RC meets from 19-23 August 2019 in Brazzaville, Congo.  The Provisional Agenda, the Statement of the chairperson of the Programme subcommittee to the sixty-ninth session of the regional committee and Informational documents are already published.  See  https://who-track. phmovement.org/afro-69  . Please contribute to the AFRO69 Watch by reviewing the Provisional Agenda and identifying items that inspire you or are close to what you are working on or where you have expertise or experience. Please choose your item(s) and contribute to develop commentaries.  T here are a few items on the agenda that are important and require our response. Drafting a commentary on major items and sending this  to the country delegates attending   will be an important advocacy tool for all of us. You can also mobilize (at country and regional level) around items that are relevant for you. Please share it with your group ...

Hassan from PHM Djibouti in Casablanca for the ECOSOCC conference. In the photo he poses with the Deputy Mayor of the city of Casablanca Mrs. Hakima Fasly. He will also meet with PHM circle of Morocco coordinated by Mr Aziz.