Protecting and securing our right to health requires that we have affordable access to quality health services. However, in the US, Canada, and countries all over the world, governments are choosing to privatize health services. This move raises prices, forces some hospitals to close, and decreases access to life-saving medicines and treatment.
Putting our health and health systems in the hands of private companies–which are driven by making a profit–is a step backwards in our struggle for the right to health. We must resist.
PHM-North America is collecting inspiring stories from around the world of movements who have stood up and spoken out against privatization of their health services…and WON. From these movements and their campaigns we can learn lessons to reinforce and inspire our own work to achieve public, accessible, affordable health care.
Please contact us if you would like to share the story of your movement’s success in stopping privatization of health services in your community.
Shutting profit out of lab services in Alberta
In Alberta, Canada. Friends of Medicare sprung to action when they learned of a proposal to outsource laboratory services to a private company. This movement was able to keep these services under public control.
Campaign to save Gloucestershire’s NHS
Organizers and campaigners from Stroud Against the Cuts worked to prevent staff of the Gloucestershire National Health Service (NHS) from being outsourced to a private company.
Mobilizing against PPPs in Chhattisgarh
Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA or PHM-India) in the state of Chhattisgarh organized successful campaign against the state’s plan to outsource labs and diagnostic services to private providers.
Marea blanca, a rising tide against privatization
When the government of the Community of Madrid decided to restructure the health system, which would result in privatization of several hospitals and clinics, the marea blanca, or white tide, movement rose in opposition of the proposal.
Occupy our hospitals!
Activists in Sweden fought back against their governments’ decisions to cut health services in their communities, organizing years-long occupations of their local hospitals in the towns of Dorotea and Sollefteå.