Africa and Arab countries

On May Day, Comrade Donald Gyimah, a member of PSI’s affiliated union the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) in Ghana, was announced as the 2018 National Best Worker.

Around 16,000 nurses in Zimbabwe resumed work bringing to an end one week of strikes that affected health services in the country.

On May Day 2018, Cameroon celebrates not only the gains made by workers and trade unions over the years, but can also celebrate the end of a ten-year experiment with privatisation of water services management. May 1st 2018 is the day that the government of Cameroon regains control of its water utility.

PSI launches video series featuring 16 stories from nine countries – Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Italy, USA, Chad, Lebanon, Guatemala and Brazil - to praise the work of public servants around the world.

7,850 workers die every day from accidents at the workplace or occupational diseases stemming largely from poor working conditions. 2.78 million workers continue to die each year from work-related injuries and illnesses. 2.4 million of these deaths can be attributed to work-related diseases alone.

Over the last year, there have been renewed deliberations on what direction the pathways to health for all in Africa would take. The 1st World Health Organization Africa Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda on 27-28 June 2017 set the context, with the theme: “Putting People First: The Road to Universal Health Coverage in Africa”. The Geneva Graduate Institute encouraged further discussion with a panel discussion on “The Future of Health in Africa” on 23 January 2018.

On 27 April, PSI together with fellow global unions [IndustriALL, UNI, IUF] and ITUC delivered a letter to the Brazilian mission to the UN, urging the immediate release of former Brazilian President Lula

Latest issue of #PrivatizationWatch (02/2018) - The Global newsletter on privatization of public services around the world.