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Health and Social care services

Quality health care is important to families, societies and the economy – because healthy workers are more productive. The PSI – which represents 8 million health care workers – believes that care must be available to people who need it, not just to those who can pay. Health care is dangerous work. These workers, and the services they provide, are worthy of everyone’s support. Read more

Rosa Pavanelli addresses the Opening Session of the ILO Tripartite Meeting on Improving Employment and Working Conditions in the Health Services

24 April 2017

PSI's General Secretary was elected to serve as the Chairperson of the Workers’ group. Here is the speech she delivered on April 24.

OUR HEALTH IS NOT FOR SALE! PSI affiliates mark World Health Day with struggle for the Right to Health

14 April 2017
FESPROSA

PSI affiliates in the health sector marked World Health Day with actions taken in different parts of the world as part of the PSI Human Right to Health global campaign. These involved collaborations with other civil society organisations illustrate the fight against the commodification of health in some countries and regions.

Trade unions and public health activists demand to bring back people over profit in South Asia

14 April 2017

On the occasion of World Health Day, on 7 April 2017, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), Public Health Resource Network (PHRN) and PSI organised a panel discussion “People over Profit: Countering the Privatisation of Healthcare” and released a booklet series published by PSI called “Non Standard Work in the Healthcare Sector in South Asia”. The panel addressed issues related to the direction of healthcare policies, the expansion of the private sector in healthcare provision and the informalisation of conditions of employment of the healthcare workforce.

Audio: Healthcare is a basic human right

07 April 2017

RadioLabour interviews PSI General-Secretary Rosa Pavanelli on PSI's recently launched campaign for the Human Right to Health aimed at promoting universal public health coverage for all.

Oppression leads to Depression - World Health Day 2017

07 April 2017

Confronting Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), often simply called depression, is the theme for this year’s World Health Day on 7 April. MDD is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of persistent sadness and a loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities.

Towards autonomy and self-determination for persons with autism

03 April 2017
by Becky Wetherington

The 2017 World Autism Awareness Day was marked on 2 April across the world with the theme: towards autonomy and self-determination. National and international policy-makers took the time to lend their voices to the need for provision of care and support for persons with autism. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres captured this spirit in his message for the day, when he said: “Let us ensure that we make available the necessary accommodations and support to persons with autism.”

PSI launches the Right to Health at AFREC

27 March 2017

A major highlight of the Africa and Arab Countries Regional Executive Committee meeting held at Lagos on 16-17 March, was the launching of the Right to Health newsletter. Right to Health is the bi-monthly newsletter of the PSI Human Right to Health global campaign which was kicked off at the Health and Social Services Task Force meeting in December 2016.

"We stand for public funding of public quality water and sanitation services for realizing women's rights"

22 March 2017

Today, 22 March, World Water Day, PSI's General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli states the importance of tax-funded public water and sanitation for all, but especially for realizing women's rights. In an interview*, Pavanelli talks about the major challenges in achieving this goal.

The Role of Public Service Trade Unions in achieving Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

21 March 2017

This groundbreaking conference, organised by PSI with the support of ILO/ACTRAV and ILO/GED, marked the beginning of a new area of collaboration. PSI in partnership with the ILO explored the issue of workers with disabilities with a special focus on the role of the public sector and public services.

Right to Health - Issue 01 (March/April 2017)

16 March 2017

Get the latest global news on health and social care services. People over Profit! #PublicHealth4All. Right to Health newsletter Issue 01/2017.

ILO Health Sectorial Tripartite Meeting

15 March 2017

The ILO Tripartite Meeting on Improving Employment and Working Conditions in Health Services will be at the International Labour Office, Geneva, on 24-28 April.

The future of health

15 March 2017
OECD ministerial

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) organised a Public Forum on the Future of Health in January. This was immediately followed by its Health Ministerial meeting on the next generation of health reforms.

Tax the rich and fund healthcare

15 March 2017

There is consensus that health for all is critical for sustainable development. Lack of resources is often presented as the major challenge to achieving this. But the problem is not one of inadequate resources, it is a lack of political will to change the situation.

It's time to unite and fight for Health for All

15 March 2017
Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health," was declared a human right, back in 1948, when the World Health Organization was established to help implement it. This principle is reflected in the constitutions of many countries. Significant improvements were made after this declaration, particularly in industrialised countries, but despite several inter-governmental covenants on universal health coverage, we remain very far from ensuring the human right to health for all.

Costa Rica: Quality public healthcare system in danger

15 March 2017
Demonstration by BUSSCO in Costa Rica

Since the 1990s, neoliberal policies have claimed victims in the public services sector run by the Costa Rican state. The rise of the neoliberal globalization which is expanding with free trade, has involved big businesses aggressive pursuit of new sources of profit. This is the reason behind the waves of privatization of public services like water, education, health and others.