Latest Equinet Updates

The Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (Equinet) participated in a number of sessions at Forum 9 of the Global Health Research Forum in Mumbai, India, 12-16 September 2005. The theme of the meeting this year was Poverty, equity and health research. The Global Forum’s annual meeting provides the opportunity for presentations and exchange of views on key issues on the global health agenda. Participants from a broad range of constituencies were present: health and development ministries, multilateral and bilateral agencies, research-oriented bodies and universities, NGOs and civil society, the private sector, the media. EQUINET has a substantial programme of research work on equity in health and reported on some of this at the Forum. Papers were presented by Grace Bongololo and Lot Nyirenda on theme work on gender equity in Antiretroviral therapy access; by Di McIntyre and Lucy Gilson on equitable health care financing; Rene Loewenson, Itai Rusike and Memory Zulu on The Impact Of Health Centre Committees On Health outcomes in Zimbabwe and Lucy Gilson, Ermin Erasmus; Peter Kamuzora; TJ Ngulube; Verona Phillips and Vera Scott on applying policy analysis in tackling implementation gaps.

The training course aimed to enable participants to be able to carry out assessments nationally of the key trade and investment agreements that impact on health and identify options for promoting public sector equity oriented health systems within current trade and investment policies and agreements. The workshop aimed to cover
• An introduction to trade and health that outlines major issues affecting the region
• An outline of health systems, their major components of health systems and the challenges posed by commercialisation.
• An introduction to outline of the global major trade systems and the World Trade Organisation and how it agreements that impacts on health, and the options for protecting and promoting health within these trade agreements
• An outline of two major trade agreements - TRIPS and GATS - that impact on health, and the options for protecting and promoting health within these trade agreements
• A guideline for audit of the impact of trade agreements on health systems
• An introduction to analyzing and understanding the health systems context in which policy is developed, designed and implemented.

This briefing describes the programme of student research grants in EQUINET and invites applicants for the third round of grants. The Regional Network for Equity in Health in Southern Africa (EQUINET) promotes policies for equity in health across a range of priority theme areas (See www.equinetafrica.org) EQUINET has over the years, organized its work in various theme areas, including: economic and trade policy and health; human rights, governance and participation, equity in health sector responses to HIV/AIDS, human resources for health; monitoring and surveillance and others. Within these areas of work EQUINET aims to identify, recruit and build capacity and analysis. After a successful pilot initiative in 2003 in co-operation with the Malawi Health Equity Network member in the EQUINET steering committee, EQUINET has now launched a programme of student research support that provides small research grants for students at college or university in various programmes in east and southern Africa.

EQUINET will place its next call for student grants in July 2005 so watch this space! EQUINET will be calling for students in undergraduate and postgraduate study to apply for grants in work on health and health systems that reflect EQUINET values of equity, social justice and the right to health.