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JSA NCC Minutes 31st Jan
JSA NCC Minutes 31st Jan
JSA NCC Minutes 31st Jan
TEA BREAK
LUNCH BREAK
Sarojini presented the decision by the PHM to organize the 4th Peoples Health Assembly in
Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 15-19 November 2018. Around 1500 participants from across the globe
are expected to attend the Assembly. Participants will be mobilized through country and
regional mobilization processes leading up to the Assembly. The main venue of PHA4 will be the
Gonosasthya Kendra campus in Savar (about 30 kms from Dhaka city).
The proposed structure of the program and the concept note are attached. The main themes of
PHA4 are:
The political and economic landscape of development and health
Social and physical environments that destroy or promote health
Strengthening health systems to make them just, accountable, comprehensive,
integrated and networked
Organizing and mobilizing yet again for Health for All
In addition an IPHU (training of young activists) will be organized a week before PHA4.
Given that India is a close neighbor of Bangladesh, we expect a large participation – about 300-
400 – from India. Gonosasthya Kendra (GK) and PHM Bangladesh have offered to cover all local
accommodation and food costs. Participants from India can travel to Dhaka from Kolkata by
train or bus (total cost to and fro is about Rs.2000 and the journey is about 7 hours long). The
participation from India can be co-ordinated by a small group in JSA.
JSA and individual JSA members can contribute to the organization of the JSA in several ways:
Mobilise volunteers to help in organizing PHA4
Provide inputs regarding the programme, which will be circulated as it evolves
Propose and organize self-organised activities, cultural presentations exhibitions, etc.,
Participate in the IPHU and in PHA4
National Health Assembly
Sulakshana presented a proposal to organize the Third National Health Assembly (NHA3) in
Raipur, Chhattisgarh in September – for 3 days between 15-25 September, 2018. The Assembly,
it was proposed, could be linked with 10th anniversary celebrations of Public Health Resource
Network (PHRN).
It was felt, during the discussions, that the NHA should be seen as a part of a process of
continuous mobilization that challenges the neoliberal character of current policies, leading up
to the next general elections in 2019.
1. JSA will organize a 2 ½ day NHA3 in Raipur in September (between 15-25 September)
2. JSA Chhattisgarh and PHRN will explore possible venues and finalise the dates in the
next weeks
3. The meeting felt that all major responsibilities for NHA3 should be with younger activists
(preferably below 45).
4. It was decided to form the following sub-committees to coordinate the work for NHA
(other members will need to be included):
5. A preliminary list of persons and organisations who could be contacted for donations
will be prepared. Organisations that can be contacted include: OXFAM, CHAI, CMAI, NFI,
Water-Aid, and various UN agencies. In addition, a crowd sourcing campaign was also
proposed.
6. The meeting felt that the main conference themes should be around: defence of public
services; resistance to privatization and unethical practices in private facilities; social
determinants of health; recognition of the Right to Health.
7. A possible slogan could be: The time to make health and healthcare a fundamental right
is Now!
Global Symposium by COPASAH
Abhay Shukla informed the meeting of a global symposium on making health services
accountable to communities to be organized by COPASAH in 2019. The NCC was requested to
consider the proposal for JSA to be a co-organiser (PHM is already a co-organiser). It was also
reported that JSA affiliated organisations, such as SOCHARA & PHRN are already involved in
COPASAH.
Decision
1. The NCC agreed to JSA being a co-organiser and suggested that JSA members who are
already involved could co-ordinate JSA’s participation as a co-organiser. They include:
Ameer, Sandhya, Susana, Ganapathy, Deepika , Prasanna, Abhay, Renu
Bioethics conference
The next global conference on Bioethics will be held on 2-5 December 2018 in Bangalore.
SAMA, SOCHARA, Society for Medical Ethics and St. Johns, Bangalore are involved in the local
hosting and organization of the conference. It was proposed that JSA should consider being a
partner (without any financial contribution) in organization of the conference. It was suggested
that there should be opportunities for activists (even if non-academic) to participate and
present.
Decision
The meeting felt that JSA national secretariat functioning needs to be strengthened.
State JSAs too need strengthening and the issue of rotation of co-ordination of state JSA
chapters needs to be attended to.
Participants felt that in recent years there has been interest shown in JSA by different groups of
students and younger people. Currently the JSA structure lacks mechanisms to engage with
them in a systematic manner, especially students who are mobile and migrate from their place
of origin to educational institutions, and then to other places looking for employment.
It was reported that due to their involvement in PPPs, JSA Gujarat has decided to disassociate
itself from Deepak Foundation
The JSA website requires regular updating States should forward news of their activities
regularly to Gaergeya for uploading on the JSA website.
It was felt that JSA should create a mechanism to respond urgently to important issues.
Participants felt that a call should be sent out inviting interested persons to join and contribute
on different thematic areas of JSA’s work. A synergy can be developed in this regard with the
proposed student and youth chapter of JSA to.
It was also felt that JSA should devise programs like workshops, training sessions etc. on specific
issues and develop of generic ways to take these issues to different constituencies of JSA.
Decisions:
3. It was also decided that the next NCC meeting should discuss in detail the situation in
states as regards co-ordination of JSA activities within states.
4. A student and youth subcommittee of JSA should be formed to involve students and
youth and coordinate their activities. The sub-committee should be represented in the
JSA NCC. This sub committee would coordinate the involvement of students and youth
in thematic working groups and state JSA units. Gargeya volunteered to initiate the
process in collaboration with the national JSA Sectt.
5. A letter would be sent to Deepak foundation that their membership in JSA is being
revoked --Amulya would prepare a draft letter
Abhay proposed that JSA should be an active partner in the platform called ‘Jan Ekta Jan
Adhikar Manch’ formed as a coalition of a number of progressive and democratic movements
and mass organizations. The platform is organizing a nationwide programme in May, focusing
on the failures of the current government in many fronts, and it was proposed that JSA should
also involve in these state level processes.
Decisions
1. Abhay Shukla will prepare a note related to health issues that can be part of the
platform’s core declaration, and circulate it for finalization.
2. JSA will share its state JSA contact list with Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Manch, so that JSA state
units can be involved in the platform’s activities
Gargeya reported on the progress of the second phase of the JSA-PBI project in six states - :
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, A.P, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The project, in its second
phase, is designed to examine (and mobiles around) gaps in the national and especially state
Budgets with a focus on the following areas: Medicines, Human Resource for Health and
strengthening public provisioning of healthcare.
Many JSA states and JSA affiliated organizations are/have been involved in activities related to
community monitoring of healthcare services. It was noted that the earlier opportunity
available in the NRHM for CSOs to involve in such activities is being taken away, both by the
central and state governments.
Decision:
1. The next JSA meeting should include in its agenda a sharing of experiences in this
regard. A status report of community monitoring should be prepared, initiated by
Abhay, Amulya and Ameer
It was felt that JSA should respond to the proposed National health protection Scheme
and point out the fallacies and problems in the proposed scheme. Other issues that need to be
raised by JSA include: PPPs including outsourcing of diagnostic services; Free drugs and
diagnostics, and the new Bill on a ‘National Medical Commission’, the proposal on ‘Health and
Wellness Centres’
Participants from Rajasthan and Maharashtra presented case studies of PPPs in these states.
Decisions
1. Sundar to prepare a note on NHPS and on the proposed Health and Wellness Centres for
circulation and finalization as a JSA position document
2. Case studies on PPPs need documentation and Sulakshana and Deepika will share tools
to develop them in different states
It was felt that JSA should collect stories/cases of exploitation/ethical violations and publish
them as a report. A charter of patient’s rights was recently adopted by NHRC. This should be
adopted/popularized by JSA. The three issues of gross overcharging, less pay to workers and
evasion of taxes by private corporate hospitals should be combined in a JSA’s campaign on the
private corporate sector. The government’s move to weaken regulatory bodies and institutions
like the NPPA should also be questioned.
A statement has been issued by JSA on the issue of Kerala nurses’ strike
HIV patients
It was reported that there is a need to intervene in the rising costs incurred by people with HIV
and the progressive reduction in the funding for HIV programmes. Private hospitals further
increase their rates for people with HIV and many times there is complete denial of services.
Access to Medicines
Issues flagged included drug price control, Draft Pharmaceutical Policy- 2017, ban on Fixed Drug
Combinations, and unethical promotion of medicines
Decision:
1. A booklet framing the issues around access to medicines in simple and easy to
understand language needs to be developed
2. A model Pharma Policy should be prepared by JSA, AIDAN, FMRAI and others. Amitava
and Mira will take the lead.
Nutrition
It was reported that the declaration of the recently concluded Conference on Double Burden of
Nutrition would be finalised soon and circulated within JSA and we will be forwarded in JSA-
Discuss. All those present acknowledged that the conference had been very well organized and
a success.
It was felt that co-ordination between the Right to Food campaign and JSA coordination should
be improved/revived at state and national levels and the Working Group under Six should be
revived and expanded. It was also suggested that the Mira and Vandana who had earlier been
the representatives of JSA to RTF Campaign should be requested to continue to be involved and
provide support to the new representatives.
It was articulated that JSA needs to take a strong stand on gender related issues, particularly on
those related to gender based violence, and atrocities against marginalized communities.
Concern was also raised that gender issues do not figure in the work and discussions on
budgeting and UHC.
It was reported that ESI Hospitals are have huge vacancies of (40% of medical doctors and 30%
of specialists). The ESI Corporation is not able to provide adequate services and this is adversely
affecting workers. JSA needs to include the issues regarding the ESI scheme in its activities on
health system strengthening. An update of the ongoing SC PIL on silicosis was given by Amulya.
Decision: