Declaration Of the Health Work Group in the TSF of Porto Alegre 2012

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Health is a universal right, not a source of profit.

During the Thematic Social Forum that was named "capitalist crisis, social and environmental justice" in Porto Alegre, following the Dakar Declaration, activists of the social and human rights to health networks and social movements met to discuss the worldwide health situation, and make proposals that could be brought to the Peoples Summit that will take place during the international conference  in Rio, on June the 20th, 2012.

The Dakar Declaration has led to important regional dynamics, including European conferences in defense of health and social welfare of Amsterdam and Katowic, as well as Maghreb Mashreq Social Forum topic health / housing / environment in Cairo. These dynamics have enriched the discussion begun in Dakar.

THERE IS ALWAYS EMERGENCY !

• The capitalist crisis has worsened the situation of the people: the right to health, water drinking, sanitation, food, housing, work, dignity, are violated.
• In almost all countries health systems are attacked by privatization an increasing commodification, exacerbating North-South inequalities, as well as internal inequalities within to each country.
• Poorest  populations are the first victims of the reforms demanded by financial markets, and health and drugs corporations.
• Around the world, women are suffering from the consequences of such policies.
• In Europe, we notice the simultaneity and acceleration of the attacks against the rights of the populations, through privatization and destruction of social welfare. Reducing public deficits is used as a pretext by the political austerity to destruct social benefits. However, the rescue of the financial system and profits have increased an illegitimate debt and are used as a pretext for the majority of governments to destroy our public health welfares.
• In the Maghreb / Mashreq, the destruction of health systems related to the implementation of neoliberal policies is planned, including Structural adjustment programs.  Applied in the region, they aim to destroy most of States responsibility, and engage market logic.
• In Latin America, although progress has been noticed in several countries, under the influence of people mobilization, health systems are still inadequate, highly unequal and dominated by the commercial sector.
• Sub-Saharan Africa remains in a dramatic situation which now leads to concentrate half of under 5 years children’s death of the planet (4.4 million out of 8.8 million each year).
• Around the world, the constant search for productivity gains (exacerbated by the crisis) leads to degradate health at work in huge proportions (160 million new cases of occupational diseases each year in the world - ILO)

The systemic crisis of capitalism leads, in all continents, to a real health crisis due to search for total merchandising of health. However resistances grow and are sometimes victorious ! Like what happened this last month, with the withdrawal of the proposed privatization of Romanian (thanks to the indignant movement) and Slovak hospitals (thanks to the mobilization of doctors of the public sector).

To give perspective to these struggles, participants suggested:

1. To submit for discussion the idea of the construction of an international trade unions and social movements "without health borders" in their unions or social movements 

2. to act together to promote

‣ An alternative system of social welfare without borders, a system without boundaries based on the existence of  indivisible economic, social, civic, political rights.

‣ A health system guaranteeing universality, accessibility and quality.

‣ A unified system based on needs and not the management of resource, that should be mainly under the  responsibility of States

‣ An independent public research, and State polices integrating drug research, production and control, in order to face with all populations’s needs. 

‣ A genuine policy of prevention and health,

‣ statutory and healthy conditions of work for health professionals, and a training to ensure quality of care and caring.

‣ A system based on health Democracy and determination of populations’ needs by the speople and health workers, based on state funding : collective health can not be a source of profit.

3. To cancel the debt of poor countries, and be comitted against the austerity plans which are experienced by people, whereas billions of dollars have been offered to bankers instigators of crisis.

4. Take advantage of the situation of Arab revolutions to highlight the issue of right to Health, within the reforms to be adopted. 

5. Aware that peace in the world is a key of people's health, they offer a continuous action against war, especially alongside the people and civil society in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan.

The participants agreed to meet again on the occasion of each, regional, continental or world Social Forum, as well as at every international meeting, like the next alternative European Defence Health and Welfare conference , held in Paris in May 2012, or the Peoples Summit at Rio +20 in June 2012. We intend to deepen the debates, actions, sharing of experiences, and progress on policy proposals to resolve the global health crisis.

Françoise Nay: Coordination defense committees of local hospitals and maternity (France) - postmaster@coordination-nationale.org - jean.rostandivry @ wanadoo.fr

Boubker El Yacobi: PHM Morocco - Health Working Group Social Forum Maghreb / Mashreq(Morocco) - santerabat@yahoo.fr

Julien Terrié: European Conferences of defense of health and social welfare - oziel1996@gmail.com

Bernardo Pilotto: SINDITEST-PR (Union of Workers of UFPR, UTFPR, RSFF, unilateral and Clinic) State of Parana (Brazil) bernardopilotto@gmail.com

José Ferreira de campos: SINDISPREV-RS (Sindicato federal workers health andsocial protection) of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) josedecamposferreira@gmail.com

SINDISPREV SINDITEST and are members of the "Frente Nacional Contra privatizaçao da Saude(Health) Brasil "