PHM in South Australia
2007 - upcoming event
The People's Health Movement: our current campaigns and actions
Hani Serag Global Co-ordinator of PHM- based in Cairo
5.30 to 7.30pm Thursday 20th September Historian Hotel 18 Coromandel Place, Adelaide
Hani has been the Global Co-ordinator of PHM globally since mid 2006. He is visiting Adelaide en route to the Public Health Association national conference
please RSVP to [paul.laris@internode.on.net]
People’s Health Movement SA seminar on "The ethics of addressing health issues in countries and communities globally and locally"
People’s Health Movement SA organised a seminar on “The ethics of addressing health issues in countries and communities globally and locally”. The seminar was held in Adelaide Community Centre on Wednesday 22nd February 2006. The seminar was attended by around 35 people. Three speakers presented their experiences of the ethical dilemmas working in developing countries as well as among Aboriginal communities in Australia. The seminar was chaired by Udoy Saikia, Lecturer, Flinders University.
The first discussion was presented by health workers Liz Sanders and Karen Dixon on “The ethical conflicts of interest of a volunteer based NGO in Peru. In August 2005 Liz and Karen volunteered for 2 months in a community on the outskirts of Cusco, Peru, South America. Their presentation provided an overview of the context they worked in, a semi rural community on the outskirts of a growing city. Poverty, inadequate access to health and education services where key issues for these families who are being pushed off their land by development. Liz and Karen were initially given the project of health and hygiene (showering, washing faces) but felt that this was inappropriate given the quality and access to water at home for these families had not been considered. They went about gathering evidence by way of photos and collecting a story from one woman of her experiences with water. A focus group, in their very limited Spanish was then held and short and long term strategies put in place. The short term strategy was providing large containers and bleach to treat their polluted water supply. The long term strategy was to start to work with the private owners and the government water board to get piped treated water into the homes. In the process of this volunteering experience Liz and Karen came across a few ethical dilemmas. They were primarily the lack of skill and understanding of the NGO and its workers on community development and primary health care and that with all the good will in the world they felt sometimes there was probably more damage being done then good. They thus suggested that it would be great for PHM Oz to explore skill support between NGO’s in developing countries with Australian health workers.
The second speaker Steve Parker presented his work through the “Eye Safety Project – Bangladesh”. During 2000-2005 Sherpur Safe Community and the “Noarlunga Towards a Safe Community Program” have worked together in developing and implementing an innovative eye injury prevention program at the grass-roots level for metal workers in small businesses located in Sherpur, Bangladesh.
In the region there are many small metal fabrication and welding shops. Much of the work is carried out with little or no personal protective equipment and serious eye injuries are commonplace. The workers belong to the poorest of Bangladeshi families and injured workers often cannot afford to access basic medical treatment.
The project has been highly successful. Thirty-eight safety workshops have been held in Sherpur with over 880 adult and young metal workers attending and being provided with individual safety glasses, welding goggles and training to keep their eyes safe.
The third speaker Alwin Chong gave a very interesting presentation on “Aboriginal males and domestic violence, an issue of culture vs ethics”. Alwin mentioned that domestic violence is at an epidemic level in many Aboriginal communities but somehow the responsibility falls to only a few in the community. Moreover we need to understand that domestic violence is not an Aboriginal only problem. Anecdotally, we know that drugs & alcohol are the major triggers to domestic violence. Alwin also highlighted on the issue of Police responses to domestic violence and the tension that exists between non-Aboriginal approaches to understanding and responding to violence and those of Aboriginal communities. It is important that Aboriginal women get the opportunity to driving the policy directions. Somehow there are no appropriate anger management programs.
Earlier Prof. Fran Baum also reported back on Global PHM.
Please email PHM SA for more information or to be included in the South Australian mailing list.
