Exchange of experiences between the Alliance for Health and the People's Health Movement
An exchange of experiences between the Alliance for Health and the People’s Health Movement (PHM) – Argentina took place on August 9, 2024, in Maputo.
The meeting took place at the LAMBDA offices and began with a presentation of the work and activities carried out by members of the Alliance for Health network, since its creation in 2020.
During the presentation of the Alliance for Health, António Mate, explained how the network is structured, from the research pillar to the advocacy and campaigns pillar. And he took the moment to talk about the network's greatest achievements, which were the production of the campaign and, particularly, the series “ACTIVA-TE Pelo Direito à Saúde”, the drafting of the Law against Obstetric Violence in the country, the campaign “More Privacy” and the creation of the School of Health Activism and its various courses available online, among other activities.
In the same vein, António Mate stated that “the Alliance for Health network seeks to use the power of the media, as well as social media, in order to reach the greatest number of people with the messages disseminated”. The network “also seeks to use cultural manifestations, promoting its work in cultural soirées, at various cultural houses in the country.”
In turn, Cármen Baéz also presented the People’s Health Movement (PHM) – Argentina to the members of the Alliance for Health present at the meeting, stating that “this network emerged in a context, in which around 1500 activists, scholars, health staff, community-based organizations, individuals, in the 2000s held the first People’s Health Assembly.”
In the same vein, the coordinator and member of the PHM-Argentina, Carmen Baéz, emphasized that every 5 years international conferences are organized, with various civil society organizations, in order to present the work carried out, research and analysis of articles published by institutions state and international, such as the WHO. And he highlighted that these also include marches in the streets, photos, dances, music, and traditional medicine from various peoples.
despite geographic differences, the struggles for health and the challenges in this sector are the same
Violeta Bila, coordinator of the Alliance for Health, shared her experience at the 5th PHM Assembly, held in April 2024, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and stated that there it was possible to make many connections with other organizations and learn even more about the various topics covered.
In short, this meeting to exchange experiences between the Alliance for Health and the PHM-Argentina, served, once again, to bring together and expand ideas between the two networks; and conclude that, despite geographic differences, the struggles for health and the challenges in this sector are the same.
This activity was carried out within the scope of Agreement 22-CO1-398 “Improving the quality, coverage, and resilience of the Cabo Delgado health system”, financed by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and implemented by medicusmundi, member founder and promoter of the Alliance for Health.