International Solidarity for the TRIPS Waiver

Moderator: Kate Stegeman | Advocacy coordinator, MSF Access Campaign, South Africa Connect with Kate on LinkedIn · MSF Access Campaign · Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

This seminar was a platform to share the actions of Civil Society in response to an attempt by Solidarity and Afriforum to promote private procurement and distribution of vaccines for COVID-19 in SA.

Solidarity and Afriforum lodged court papers to compel government to allow the private sector, NGOs and provinces to procure and distribute vaccines independent of government. The Health Justice initiative applied to be an Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) and would have brought evidence as to why such as case, were it to be successful, would have disastrous effects for an equitable and effective roll out of vaccines.

The case was withdrawn before it was heard.

However, because we believe the issues are of critical importance, PHM and HJI decided to co-host this webinar to bring these issues to the attention of the wider public.

The speakers included:

Fatima Hassan - Director of the HJI

Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng - UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health

Prof. Leslie London - Professor of Public Health Medicine at UCT and Steering Committee member for the PHM-SA Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

This webinar was organised and hosted by the International Labour, Research and Information Group (ILRIG) on 25th February 2021.

Moderated by Dr. Dale McKinley from ILRIG, the three panelists were:

Fatima Hassan - Health Justice Initiative

Dr. Lydia Cairncross - People’s Health Movement

Dr. Benjamin Kagina - Vaccines for Africa Initiative

The panelists covered a lot of ground, focusing among other things on:

the global picture of vaccine distribution, financing and inequalities;

the South African specific situation with vaccine procurement and roll out plans; and

the key sources of and responses to, vaccine scepticism and opposition.

There was a lively and extensive set of questions and comments from webinar participants. Overall, this impressive and timely webinar provided a wealth of pertinent information and grounded, activist perspectives as part of the South African and international struggle for equitable, free and accessible Covid-19 vaccines. ILRIG · Connect with Fatima on LinkedIn · Connect with Benjamin on LinkedIn · Connect with Lydia on LinkedIn · Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

Speakers

Dr. James van Duuren | PHMSA)

Prof. Leslie London | PHMSA

Fatima Hassan | Health Justice International Covid-19 Training Powerpoint Slides · Equitable Access - Vaccines and Patents · Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website · PHM-SA 2021 01 Equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and patents.pdf — PDF (1.5 MB)

What is a vaccine?

What is a Covid-19 vaccine?

How to debunk vaccine myths?

What is a patent?

What is the role of community health workers?

What can we learn from the HIV access to medicines campaign?

All these, and more, are answered in plain normal language in this podcast.

Speakers

> Prof. Leslie London | UCT and People’s Health Movement

> Dr. James Van Duuren | People’s Health Movement Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

This episode presents the situational analysis conducted in October 2020 to gain insight into the current situation with respect to access to quality health technologies (PPE, diagnostic tests, ventilators) for COVID-19 in South Africa, as well as potential barriers and enablers to access to health technologies currently under development (vaccines, treatments).

The situational analysis further sought to understand how regulatory frameworks, health financing, local manufacturing capacity and domestic research activities impact/may impact health technology access in the country.

Facilitator

> Prof Leslie London - People’s Health Movement South Africa

Speakes

> Catherine Tomlinson: Freelance public health consultant and health journalist

> Candice Sehoma - Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

> Umunyana Rugege - Section27 Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

For NGOs, CBOs and cash-strapped governments, it is very easy to be seduced into taking money from anyone who is willing to provide it, especially if it will make a difference to whether or not you are able to carry out your programmes. But should you? Even if you have few viable alternatives? This is a very real dilemma faced by the non-profit sector and, to a lesser extent, government departments in South Africa and globally.

We have assembled an international panel of public health researchers and practitioners to talk about this specifically in relation to alcohol advocacy work. The alcohol industry globally has shown that they are willing to fund civil society and government programmes, directly and indirectly, through direct funding, public private partnerships (PPPs) and other means, and to present themselves as a ‘caring’ industry. But what is their true agenda? Could it be that they are using CSI support as leverage in their fight against the introduction of tougher alcohol legislation which could impact negatively on their sales and profits? Does this not pose a ‘conflict of interest’ for NGOs, CBOs and government departments that are working hard to ensure such legislation is indeed passed and implemented in the interests of public health and saving lives and money? And, if so, what concrete steps can be taken to ensure alternative, untainted funding sources for this important work?

Facilitator

> Prof Leslie London: PHM SA and UCT South Africa

Speakers

> Gianna Gayle Amul : PHD student at University of Geneva’s institute of Global Health

> Dr Samin Saban: Research Psychologist – Singapore

> Dr Melissa Mialon – France Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

The current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges for the vulnerable and disadvantaged in accessing healthy and nutritious food.

The People's Health Movement South Africa hosted a webinar to explore more on the challenges and possible solutions.

Speakers

> Roshila Nair

> Phumeza Macwili

> Professor Thandi Puoane Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

A space to hear the voices of people living through the Covid 19 experience in different scenarios and bearing witness to the suffering and to learn from these lived experience as to how we need shape future interventions and strengthen our healthcare system to deal with a medical emergency or pandemic more effectively.

a. Recovered Covid 19 patient Nothemba Rixana shared her story of getting Covid and then also losing her husband due to Covid. This powerful story speaks to the emotional impact of the illness on individual and communities and the role that he stigma plays in the emotional adjustment and coping with the pandemic . steam came through as a powerful force that has been hampering getting to care sooner rather than later.

b. CHW Boniwe from Soweto shared her experience at the frontline as she was helping to contain the pandemic and do screening to ensure effective management of the illness within her community. Themes like poor training, lack of PPE and limited resources were paramount. She also spoke about the impact of this on herself and her family as she feared contaminating of her loved ones. This stress added to the emotional impact that she had to cope with plus the emphasis on her work as a CHW that she feels passionate about.

The podcast was to create awareness about the role and place that palliative care has in a pandemic like Covid 19 Dr. Liz Gwyther head of the School for public health at UCT spoke after which Juanita Arendse gave overview of the Western Cape Government response and planning for palliative care services during Covid 19

Speakers

> Bonisiwe Msibi – CHW from Soweto

> Notemba Rixana – Partner of C19 deceased patient

> Dr Margie Venter. : Palliative Care clinician and Chairperson of PALPRAC

> Dr Liz Gwyther head of the School for public health at UCT

> Juanita Arendse – Western Cape Government Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website

This webinar was about struggle tactics used by the Gauteng CHWs who were recently offered permanent contracts by the Gauteng Health Department.

The battle to archive permanent employment was not easy for them. It's been a winding road for our comrades in Gauteng. However, they did not give up. The struggle started when they were still employed by NGOs. They fought to be absorbed by the department; instead, the Department contracted them under Smart Purse. They continued to fight the National and the Provincial Departments tooth and nail in the Courts, on the streets and by occupying the department's offices.

Today the Community Health Workers are celebrating their permanent employment by the Department!

Speakers

> Klaas Nakedi | Vice Chairperson Gauteng Forum

> Mzikazi Nkata | SAFTU EC

> Oupa Lehulere | Khanya College Facebook · Twitter · Donate · Website