Newsletter October 2024

#SeeMe campaign shows added value of intersectionality

Have you already seen the #SeeMe campaign that we launched under the Make Way programme? We spoke with youth, journalists, religious leaders and civil society to hear about their perspectives on intersectionality and how it helps them to realize sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for everyone. With our Make Way partners, we are calling on policymakers to apply this approach to help ensure no one is left behind. Read more about the campaign ➔

'The future of health in Mozambique'

N'weti and Wemos are proud to share the policy brief 'The Future of Health in Mozambique', aimed at strengthening the country's health financing and fostering international cooperation. The brief analyses Mozambique's fiscal space and the influential role of global actors, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and global health initiatives. It provides recommendations to sustainably expand Mozambique's health budget and improve collaboration with global actors. Download the policy brief ➔

Dutch members of parliament support global health & SRHR

On 4 October, the Dutch Global Health Alliance and SRHR platform – of which Wemos is a member – launched the Multi-Party Initiative on global health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) at Nieuwspoort in The Hague. During this inspiring afternoon, members of parliament of eight political parties officially committed to strengthening the Netherlands' leadership role in global health and SRHR. The adoption of two motions shows that the relevance is also acknowledged in parliament. Read more ➔

Make Way for Youth podcast episode 5: Nothing for us, without us!

The latest episode of the Make Way for Youth podcast is now out. We are joined by Wanjiku S. Thiga, a young aspiring politician and mobilizer, and Shillah Ukumbini Salim, Cabinet Secretary for Health in Kilifi County Youth Assembly. We reflect on the recent youth-led #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests in Kenya, the importance of youth advocating for their rights and how to be safe online as advocates. Listen to the episode on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

European Health Forum: address health workforce shortages

At the European Health Forum Gastein, Wemos director Mariëlle Bemelmans called for EU-wide action to address health workforce shortages across the EU. As one of the speakers in the session 'Collaborating for health workforce excellence - Investing in Europe's health professionals', she stressed the need for action from EU institutions to support member states: "Member states should move away from the international competition for their scarce health workers, and towards greater cooperation." Read more ➔

Opinion article: ensure that Africa can make its own vaccines

In an opinion article in the Dutch newspaper NRC, Wemos director Mariëlle Bemelmans argues that the Netherlands must contribute to the self-reliance of Africa in access to medicines and vaccines. If Africa is enabled to produce medical products itself, countries there can respond better and faster to diseases and viruses, such as mpox. The Netherlands and other high-income countries should support local producers in Africa to step up. Read the opinion article (in Dutch) ➔

Agenda: session on health financing at the World Bank annuals

Between 22-25 October, civil society organizations, the World Bank (WB) and the IMF will discuss and exchange views during the Civil Society Policy Forum, a key event during the WB-IMF annual meetings. In our session, Wemos and partners will examine the impact of debt servicing and fiscal consolidation on national healthcare budgets. Panellists will debate country experiences in health financing and reflect on how these affect access to healthcare, aiming to provide feedback to the WB-IMF programmes. Join our session - in person or online.

Session: How does health financing affect access to healthcare? (Event ID 384465)

When: 25 October 2024, at 10:45-12:15 EDT

Where: Washington/DC, Building I, room i 02-250 (or watch online)

Wemos tips & picks

'DRUG$: The Price We Pay’ is a documentary movie about the soaring price of medicines in the United States. It reveals how pharmaceutical companies often prioritize profits over patient needs, while the government struggle to implement regulations that ensure affordable drug prices. The movie shares touching stories of patients burdened by high drug costs, and highlights the efforts of civil society organizations fighting to lower prices and increase access to essential medicines. Watch here.