In Astana this week: primary health care and a new global economic order

Investing in primary health care is key to achieving health for all. This is the central theme of the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, which will take place on October 25-26 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Medicus Mundi International (MMI), of which Wemos is a member, will hold a civil society session calling for a new global economic order.

The conference – co-hosted by the government of Kazakhstan, World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF – will take place on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of Alma-Ata. In 1978 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, health experts and world leaders agreed to commit to health for all. This week in Astana, experts and government officials will endorse a new declaration which underlines the essential role of primary health care worldwide, and call for renewed commitment to realizing the right to health for all.

A dead end street

As part of a café session, MMI issued a statement in a demonstration-like style to reiterate the call for a new global economic order, already mentioned in the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration: Economic and social development, based on a New International Economic Order, is of basic importance to the fullest attainment of health for all and to the reduction of the gap between the health status of the developing and developed countries. Take a look at the video below to see this call for a new global economic order and the endorsement by various civil society organizations:

Global health advocate Linda Mans: ‘It’s becoming clear that the economic road of economic growth in a capitalist system we took to achieving health for all is a dead end street; why should we move further? The recently published report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change comes with many warnings, but also with the message that we can improve public health – much in line with primary health care –synergistically with poverty alleviation and improved energy security if we limit global warming to 1.5°C. But we need to change the purpose and shape of our economy in support of planetary health and health equity. That’s why tomorrow we will call for a “New Global Economic Order” for health and well-being for all.’

For more information, visit the website of the WHO