Newsletter October 2023

Reform the global financial architecture: our pitch at the high-level meeting on universal health coverage

We actively participated in the high-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC) at the 78^th UN General Assembly in New York. After co-hosting the side event 'Accelerating progress towards health equity', Wemos’ global health advocate Barbara Fienieg pitched a joint statement by Wemos and Akina Mama wa Afrika. We call on member states to reform the international financial system to address unsustainable debts and illicit financial flows. The meeting concluded with member states signing the Political Declaration on UHC, committing to advancing universal health coverage. Read and watch our statement ➔

Launch of the Global Health Hub Netherlands

On 28 September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport launched the Global Health Hub Netherlands, a network of partners working together on global health. Our director Mariëlle Bemelmans attended and signed the new Global Health Pact on behalf of Wemos. As co-founder of the Dutch Global Health Alliance, we look forward to an inspiring and inclusive collaboration on cross-border health challenges:

1️. Strengthening health systems
2️. Pandemic preparedness
3️. Climate & health
Read more (in Dutch) ➔

Call for commitment to invest in health workers at European Health Forum Gastein

In many countries in Europe, the interest in recruiting health workers from outside the European Union is increasing. While these countries benefit from recruiting these health workers, they should actually invest in their own health workforce and in improving working conditions. “We’re all facing the shortages, and we’re all fishing in the same pond, and instead of working together and making it work for everyone, we keep doing the ‘quick fix’.” This was one of the main messages of Wemos’ global health advocate Corinne Hinlopen during the session 'Cooperating on health workforce mobility in Europe' at the European Health Forum Gastein, on 29 September. Read more about the session ➔

Make Way for youth: 5^th African Youth SDGs Summit

Our inspiring Zambia-based youth panel members from the Make Way programme recently attended the 5^th African Youth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit. They presented their Youth Manifesto, reflecting on the progress made on the African continent with the SDGs and the inclusion of meaningful youth engagement. They call on governments and institutions to ensure accessible and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, information and education for youth in all their diversities. Read more about the Youth Manifesto and the youth panellists experiences at the Summit ➔

The ‘Katjing factor’: video and manifesto for fair pricing of medicines 

Have you seen our campaign video yet for fairly priced medicines? Dutch comedian and presenter Roel Maalderink is dressed up as Mark from Katjing Farma and shocks people with the high prices of his company’s new medicines. Watch the video, read our manifesto and join our dedicated (Dutch) LinkedIn group to support our call for the fair pricing of medicines.
Manifesto (in Dutch) ➔

LinkedIn group (in Dutch) ➔

Webinar recording: 'Together for stronger health systems' 

How effectively do the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the Global Financing Facility and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – collectively known as the 3Gs – work together? Following this guiding question, Cordaid, Wemos and N’Weti co-hosted an insightful webinar to launch the policy brief 'Together for stronger health systems' on 4 September. Speakers also included Susan Sparkes, who introduced the cross-programmatic efficiency tool of the World Health Organization, and Linda Muller, head of secretariat for the Future of Global Health Initiatives. Watch the webinar recording ➔

Wemos tips & picks

Our tip this newsletter is the film 'The Fundamentals of Caring', based on the book by Jonathan Evison. The movie follows the story of Ben, a caregiver-in-training and Trevor, a young man with muscular dystrophy. Together, they embark on a road trip which brings to light the different challenges that Trevor faces with his disability, including in socialising, sexual health and integrating into society, and his triumph to overcome these obstacles. A must-watch ➔