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Dear John,

We wanted to share some updates from our partners, the People’s Health Movement (PHM), at this week’s World Health Assembly.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the largest public health body. This week is the 75th World Health Assembly, where countries meet to decide the organisation’s direction in leadership, policy and finance.

PHM runs the “WHO Watch” [[link removed]] – dedicated to monitoring and reporting on the Assembly, bringing vital transparency and accountability to the process. If you follow the link above, you'll find WHO Watch's daily briefings. Here are a few things we thought you’d be especially interested in!

To start, PHM warns that opportunities are being created for private sector investments in the WHO.

“Philanthro-capitalist influence cannot be the destiny of the WHO. It has come to be accepted as the normal state of affairs but has to be resisted in every way possible.” - said Baba Aye from Public Services International, in a joint press release [[link removed]] with PHM and other civil society.

Additionally, PHM argues that members not doing enough towards securing public healthcare. Highlighting concerns with a growing favouring of models of healthcare provision that use private or insurance-based models.

“The international financial institutions and big philanthropies have sought to limit the government role to provision of a very selective package of services (delivered by public and private providers) with beyond-the-package-services funded entirely through user pays in the private market, or partially underwritten through health insurance. This model has not worked.” – David Legge a leading figure of the WHO Watch

Finally, PHM lists some policies they wish to see; one especially stuck out to us. “Affordable access to all essential health commodities”. Believing that countries’ must be supported to obtain affordable health essentials.

We need to create an economic system that enables everyone to access essential medicines. Our #sharethescience campaign [[link removed]] exposes the consequences of patents on the Covid-19 vaccine. Governments must be given the freedom to produce essential medicine affordably, and not be limited by private companies who wish to guard their profits.

We are proud to be part of the People’s Health Movement – and to be part of the struggle for health justice.

In solidarity,

Natalie Sharples,

Head of Policy and Campaigns

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