The Drum Beat 58: Health Promotion - 15 Case Studies

For the 5th Global Conference on Health Promotion, Mexico City, June 2000, WHO, the Pan American Health Organization and the Ministry of Health of Mexico explored the theme of "Bridging the Equity Gap". To illustrate the topic, the 3 partners reviewed 200 initiatives which have improved the lives of people living in adverse circumstances. 15 case studies were chosen for presentation. They are summarised below. Click on the URLs highlighted for each programme below for more extensive descriptions. Thanks to Angela Raviglione at WHO: For further information contact Ingrid Cox

1. Association VIVIR - Ecuador - By Dr Mariana Galarza

"... a non-governmental organization that opened the door to alternative forms of health care in Ecuador. According to Dr. Galarza, the predominant curative approach to health care fails to see the human being in a comprehensive light; ignoring the social, emotional, and environmental causes of illness." Website

2. Street Food Project - Calcutta - India - Professor Indira Chakravarty

"Street food vendors could be called the nutritionists of the poor. An individual's daily nutritional needs can be met with just a few rupees. However, street food can pose a significant health risk for consumers. Often ignored or tolerated by food control and public health officials, street food in many cities has become a critical concern..."

3. "Equity Gauge" - A Tool for Monitoring Equity in Health and Health Care, South Africa - By Antoinette Ntuli

"... a national project to help South Africans know if their health is improving and measure progress toward equity in health care provision. A partnership between South African Legislators and the Health Systems Trust to support the transformation of the health system."

4. Towards a Global Movement for Active Ageing - Dr Irene Hoskins, Katja Borodulin, Ingrid Keller

"The vast majority of people, as they age, continue to live within their local communities. Grass-roots and community-based activities are a natural focus to promote healthy and active ageing. ... walking is not only an excellent form of physical exercise but also enhances social integration as it is a good way to meet people or enjoy the companionship of friends and family."

5. The Consensus-Action Group: FUNSALUD-Smithkline Beecham Alliance - Mexico -Dr. Mariano García Viveros

"... a network of investigators and educators to provide support to those working in health promotion, closing the gap between theory and practice. Network includes a variety of institutions with established
infrastructure and significant potential for mobilizing to strengthen community capacity ..."

6. Environmental Health Promotion and Waste Management - Gaza City - Liesbeth Zonneveld

" ... aim was not just regular and affordable waste collection and disposal - project sought to involve citizens and municipal staff in a wider dialogue on 'how to improve living conditions in our city - how to make our city a healthy one', and to engage the entire Palestinian community in the battle to improve their environmental health conditions...."

7. Latrine Revolution in Rural Henan, China - Wang Shugeng, Zhang Zeshu and Chen Ruijun

"... the use of human nightsoil as fertilizer for farming is a fundamental aspect of Chinese culture. The exposed excreta emit offensive smells and serve as a favourable habitat for flies... Unhygienic conditions caused diarrhea and intestinal parasitic infections to run rampant in rural towns and villages. ... Professional health and agricultural workers invented the double-urn, funnel-shaped
latrine...The new design allows human excreta to become non-hazardous fertilizer."

8. Democracy And Health: Nigeria Case Study - Susan Krenn, Stella Babalola, Rebecca Holmes, Bola Kusemiju

"Promoting the active involvement of women in public decision-making processes helps to ensure that practical gender interests are adequately addressed through appropriate policies and programs [including] reproductive and child health, literacy, access to clean water and sanitation, food supplies and prices, increased opportunities for income generation, early marriage, rights to inheritance and property, access to quality health services..."

9. Drug Abuse Prevention - Peshawar - Pakistan - Dr Parveen Azam Khan

"DOST Welfare Foundation responds to the need for effective rehabilitation based on whole person recovery, i.e. physical, psychological, social and spiritual. Treats and rehabilitates drug addicts and, in parallel, works for drug abuse prevention in the community, by strengthening young people to resist the lure of drugs and develop healthy alternatives...."

10. Igniting The Fires Of Hope - SERVOL - Trinidad And Tobago - Sister Ruth Montrichard, Father Gerard Pantin

"Three months after Father Gerard Pantin, walked into Laventille in 1970 he confessed to one of the residents called Chaca that he was getting nowhere and was thinking of giving up. Chaca vehemently protested, 'You cannot do that! It is true that you have done nothing more than get jobs for a few dozen kids; but what you have really done is to bring HOPE to the area. Every morning you walk up the hill, those watching you think: maybe tomorrow it will be my turn to get a job. And once people have hope they
will continue the struggle.' "

11. My Health: My Asset and My Right - The Self Employed Women's Association, Gujarat - India - Mirai Chatterjee

"... a Union of 220,000 women workers of the unorganised sector. Self-employed workers constitute 93 percent of the Indian workforce. They do not have regular salaried employment with welfare benefits: no weekly day off, sick leave, pension, nor any maternity benefits. They are the poorest of workers, and yet, they ... account for 63 percent of gross domestic product in India."

12. Community Care Consortium - West Texas - USA - Elizabeth Casey, Ann Zukoski, Pat Graham - Casey, Romana Hasnain-Wynia

" ... initially focused on improving cancer screening services for the underserved. It has now effectively expanded its service to include more comprehensive efforts to prevent chronic disease and improve all aspects of health care for the residents of west Texas."

13. The Healthy Municipality Experience - Versalles- Valle De Cauca, Colombia - G.S. Millán

"... local development occurs within a health promotion framework and involves the active participation of community members in determining priorities for action as well as the appropriate strategies for
addressing the identified needs. Using a methodology that combines analysis, action, and reflection, diverse sectors work jointly for education, community participation, equity, and sustainability."

14. Enterprise for Health - Lower Saxony, Germany - Dr. Michael Drupp, Dr. Rüdiger Krech

"WHO partnered with the regional association of Local Sickness Funds of Lower Saxony to create an incentive for private enterprises to invest in health. Granted 'bonuses' in the amount of one month's payment to the government's social security health insurance (for both employee and employer payments), for those companies willing to commit to comprehensive workplace health promotion."

15. Walterton And Elgin Community Homes [WECH] - London - United Kingdom - Jonathan Rosenberg

"WECH, a resident-controlled housing association, campaigned to prevent the local authority from redeveloping the area as private housing for sale at prices beyond the reach of local people. The two tower blocks were built out of steel, concrete and fibre glass. The lifts regularly broke down, the rubbish chutes blocked, and residents suffered flooding and water penetration. The worst problem was the wide range of asbestos products used as fire protection."

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Other documents from the Fifth Global Conference on Health Promotion: Draft Technical Reports: Click here for the Reports

Mexico Ministerial Statement Click here.

All 5gchp web site contents are also available in Spanish Click here.

For further information on the website, please contact Amy Maines

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This Drum Beat compiled by Warren Feek. Editor is Deborah Heimann


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