Health for all
In a changing landscape, where foundations are spending significant amounts on health care and public and private budgets have been doubled, the results hoped for in the sector have still not been realised. Health inequalities between rich and poor are increasing despite major advances in global wealth. In Issue 12 of The Broker the Special Report focused on ‘Health for all’ reviewing three recent and authoritative reports and revealing that there is a general consensus among health experts of a need for significant change in global health policy. Following on from this The Broker is hosting an online debate with contributions from experts and specialists. We asked: is there support for such change? What does this new approach imply for the daily practice of health care? and who should take responsibility?
'Health for all' must be people and community-centred
May 06, 2009 Barbara Carasso , Dina Balabanova
The recent change in global health policy and priorities, as heralded in three key reports published recently, revitalizes the PHC paradigm to provide ‘health for all’ and is characterized by a strong focus on equity and people-centred health services addressing health problems in a comprehensive and empowering manner. So how can this ‘new’ approach be translated into action, in order to achieve some real and sustained impact on the ground and successfully reduce inequities in health? read more >>
From my perspective the author’s diagnosis is essentially right. There is overall consensus that recent decades have seen an increase in inequities in general and health in particular. Some LDC countries are even showing deteriorating health outcome averages (in some cases due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic). In light of the 3 key Reports they refer to, the authors also provide us with the causes for this explosion in health inequities. read more >>
Radical or reminiscent? How to improve the current systems-approach to global health
May 06, 2009 David Stuckler , Sanjay Basu
We welcome the strong case made by Barten, Schrecker and Woodward for addressing health issues through a systems-approach and a focus on the socio-economic causes of health and health inequity. We firmly agree that poverty and inequality, and the overall strength of a medical and public health system, are key challenges to improving the well-being and health of resource-denied populations. But what strategy could be most effective for improving health and health equity? read more >>
Arnold Toynbee observed in 1931 that "The twentieth century will be chiefly remembered by future generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions, but as an age in which human society dared to think of the welfare [health] of the whole human race as a practical objective."1 If this is true – then we should ensure that the twenty-first century will be remembered as the era in which we actually made this happen – in which we achieved ‘health for all’. read more >>
Like Barten, Schrecker and Woodward we believe that health is not about health care only, and optimal health care is not the sum of interventions against health problems. Consequently we believe that the current international global health promotion and protection system requires radical reform. However, we fear that the authors might be too optimistic about the innovative character of the three reports that should bring about the ‘radical new approach to global health’ read more >>
The Global Forum for Health Research (Global Forum) agrees with the authors' statement that health issues need to be addressed in a comprehensive way, tackling social determinants of health, for which an intersectoral approach is essential. read more >>
