The politics of health library: - David Werner
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Tools For Changing The World: How You Can Help
HealthWrights, in collaboration with the International People's
Health Council and the People's Health Assembly, is making an effort
to contribute to a process of information sharing that can help, in
its own small way, to "change the world." By "change the world" we
mean first reforming and then transforming the top-heavy global econ-
omy. We refer to the struggle to build a development model that is
healthier, fairer, and more sustainable. To achieve such change, an
exponentially expanding process of popular education is needed, in
order to mobilize a critical number of people.
Struggle for such change has begun, and is evidenced by mobilization
and organized protests in many parts of the world. We are concerned,
however, that much of the confrontation of key players in the inequi-
table global economy -- such as the World Bank, International Mone-
tary Fund -- has been based more on shouting of slogans and inflamma-
tory rhetoric than on solid facts and well-documented evidence. This
makes it in some ways counterproductive. It becomes difficult to con-
vince anyone who is looking for balanced arguments and objective in-
formation.
With this in mind, HealthWrights, in cooperation with the IPHC and
PHA, has embarked on two interrelated projects to help promote the
sharing of key information concerning the Politics of Health, espe-
cially as it relates to macroeconomic factors. These are:
1. Politics of Health Annotated Reading Lists. These lists were
started several years ago and we now hope to update and expand them.
We currently have 3 versions: a Very Short List of Essential Read-
ings, a Comprehensive List of Readings, and an Exhaustive List of
Readings (including a record of about everything we come across,
without eliminating much of anything). The lists are arranged in dif-
ferent categories and are coded according to relative importance and
to level of reader sophistication (i.e. schoolchildren, community
health workers, academics, etc.). Currently the lists are in dire
need of updating.
We need volunteers (with computer and organizational skills) to help
with the compilation of new materials and updating of the lists.
We also ask persons and groups concerned with health and development
issues who have access to relevant publications and information, to
send us their recommendations of books, papers and articles for pos-
sible inclusion in the reading lists. Please include full references
(title, author, publisher, date, address and website if available).
If possible, also include a brief > annotation or summary of the con-
tent, specifically as it relates to the politics of health and sus-
tainable development. (An extract of key facts and statistics from
these writings for the Database would also be a help. See the follow-
ing:)
2. Politics of Health Database. This database is in its early
stages. Our objective is to compile and present, in an easily acces-
sible form, a wide range of accurate facts, statistics, and informa-
tion relevant to the politics of health and sustainable development.
This database will function as a reliable information resource for
anyone who is trying to obtained statistics or well-documented facts
to provide substance to lectures, classes, workshops, or articles
concerning the politics of health and sustainable development, and
designed to create awareness for action. This Database will be acces-
sible through Internet (and possibly on paper is well).
At present this Database is very much in its infancy. For it to be-
come a useful tool, the compilation of facts and data must be a col-
lective effort. You can help!
We are looking for volunteers with computer and data-processing
skills to help put the Database together and enter new information.
We also need "information gatherers", as many as possible. This can
be anyone who is willing to send in pertinent data they come across
in their readings or research.
If you are interested in contributing to the Reading Lists or the Da-
tabase, either by providing information or by volunteering to help
with logistics and/or compilation, please contact David Werner at
HealthWrights: E-mail,mailto:healthwrights@igc.org.
Also see our Website: www.healthwrights,org
To make these Reading Lists and Database into useful tools for
change: We Need Your Help.
Posted by
Claudio Schuftan
mailto:aviva@netnam.vn
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