Cooperation for Global Health

LEGGI IN ITALIANO

(NEV) Monica Natali (FCEI) told us her experience with the Medical Hope project during the “Focus on neglected diseases and the health of migrants” at the International Cooperation Festival.

“Neglected, ignored and forgotten: this is the condition I have experienced for many human beings that I have met throughout my working life” Monica Natali, volunteer Nurse of the FCEI for the Medical Hope project, said, on commenting her recent participation at the International Cooperation Festival (October 8-14, 2018) about “Salute globale, ambiente, giustizia sociale”(Global Health, Environment, Social Equity).

«On Thursday 11 October, I had the opportunity to speak about Global Health as part of the panel “Health for all: basic health in the world. Experiences of the international cooperation. Focus on neglected diseases and migrant health.” Thanks to my specific competence, I could talk about the meaning and the value of the humanitarian corridors, but also describing the origin and the characteristics of a parallel and intertwined project: Medical Hope – a “Health for All”, that means global basic health care. This condition was set as right for all human beings by the 1978 Declaration of Alma Ata and in 2000 called the achievement of this goal in the world. A goal that to date is catastrophically disregarded. Nevertheless, the concrete experience of projects such as the humanitarian corridors and Medical Hope demonstrate that together in a network and by cooperating, we can do a lot in those areas of the world that are particularly fragile, battered by wars and injustices, where health vulnerability and the absence of rights dangerously undermines life ‒ Monica Natali said pointing out the importance of this commitment. ‒ Since denying rights ultimately means cancelling faces, denying existences.».

This Festival promoted by the AIFO (Italian Raoul Follereau Association) and the RIDS (Italian Disability and Development Network) is at its second edition and involved several municipalities from Puglia region. Many the promoters and supporters, including 36 national, international, regional and local organisations. The six-day program was held in Ostuni, Taranto, Lecce, Brindisi, Latiano and Cisternino. General topic: the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through seminars, conferences, testimonies of cooperation involving NGOs, organisations, universities, health and professional associations, research institutes, territorial structures, experts, representatives of institutions.