Cross posted from PHM News
by Susana Barria <sbarria@phmovement.org>
With the world still battling the Ebola outbreak, the evidence of a clear link between the inability of affected countries to deal with the crisis and the collapse of public health systems is becoming stronger. Extreme poverty in the affected region, engendered by neo-liberal policies, further created the conditions for the rapid spread of the epidemic. This is the context that informs the contents of the 2014 Global Health Watch (GHW) report that was released on 13 November 2014.
*What is the Global Health Watch?*
Published by Zed Books and now in its fourth edition, the GHW is widely perceived as the definitive voice for an alternative discourse on health. GHW4 integrates rigorous analysis, alternative proposals and stories of struggles and change to present a compelling case for the imperative to work for a radical transformation of the way we approach actions and policies on health. It is designed to question present policies on health and to propose alternatives through new analysis.
*Who is involved in the GHW4?*
GHW4 was coordinated by the People’s Health Movement, Asociacion Latino-americana de Medicina Social, Health Action International, Medico International, Third World Network and Medact.
*What does GHW4 cover?*
With contributions from more than 80 experts from across the globe, GHW4 addresses key issues in the health sector. Through its five sections, it covers diverse issues related to health systems and the range of social, economic, political and environmental determinants of health. GHW4 locates decisions and choices that impact on health in the structure of global power relations and economic governance and is complemented by the ' Watching' section that scrutinises global processes and institutions. The final section on 'Alternatives, Action and Change', documents inspiring stories of struggles and actions for change.
See a comment on the book here: Ron Labonte, on Healthy Policies blog site:
Global Health Watch 4: Critique and Hope for a Healthier World
http://www.healthypolicies.com/2014/11/global-health-watch-4-critique-and-hope-for-a-healthier-world/
We call upon all progressive health and development movements and NGOs to disseminate the evidence and analysis in GHW4.
*Contents of GHW4
http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_Contents.pdf
*Will there be a launch close to my place?*
Launches are already planned in more than 15 cities across the globe. You can see a short-list below. If there is no launch in your city yet, why not organise one!
*Up coming Launches:*
- London, organsied by Medact on 15 November 2014 during the Medact Forum: Health in Action <http://www.medact.org/events/medact-forum-2014-health-action-workshops/>
- Oslo, University of Oslo <http://www.uio.no/english/research/interfaculty-research-areas/leve/news-events/events/2014/1117-labonte-launch-global-health-watch-4.html> On 17 November 2014;
- Rome, in the side lines of the Second International Conference on Nutrition on 17 November 2014 <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/FIAN-PHM_SideEvent_ICN2%20CSO%20Forum.pdf>;
- Perugia, Italy, during the event Cultura e Salute <https://www.facebook.com/events/738078259580351> on 18 November 2014;
- Brussels, organized by Platform for Action on Health and Solidarity <https://www.facebook.com/events/1531868607057361/?fref=ts> on 20 November 2014;
- San Salvador, El Salvador, organised by ALAMES in the sidelines of the ALAMES Congress <http://www.alames.org/> 22 to 24 November 2014;
- Marrakesh, in the side lines of the Human Rights World Forum from 27 to 30 November;
- Lusaka, Zambia, at the University of Lusaka in early January 2015.
We invite you to consider launching the GHW4 in your region, starting from mid-December 2014. For this purpose you can download ‘launch kits’ below and write to us to request that we send you free books (shipping charge will be borne by the event organisers).
*What is included in the launch kit?*
- A flyer <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_Flyer.pdf> to promote the book you can adapt to promote your event (in .pdf <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_Flyer.pdf>or in .doc <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_Flyer_0.doc>\);
- A power point presentation to introduce this initiative and the content of the book;
- A press release <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_PressRelease_13Nov2014_0.doc> you can adapt to your context and your event;
- Tweets and short posts <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_SocialMedia.doc> you can adapt and use;
- The introductory chapter <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4_Introduction_0.pdf> of the book
- An image of the cover of the book <http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/GHW4.png> for designing promotion materials.
*Whom to contact for all this?*
For more information contact Susana Barria <sbarria[at]phmovement.org> or Amit Sengupta <asengupta[at]phmovement.org>.
*Where to buy the book?*
The book will be available for sale online as well as in book stores. This year for the first time, an e-reader version is also available. For more information, visit <http://zedbooks.co.uk/node/17814> and <www.hesperian.org> (for North America).
If you think the Global Health Watch should be supported, consider being part of the* Global Solidairty Network* of the People's Health Movement*. *For any questions regarding the GSN, please contact:
Hani Serag
mailto:hserag@phmovement.org