The STOP Initiative was part of the Stop Polio Campaign of 2000, which was a global effort to eradicate polio, and was the largest public health initiative in history. Photo: http://phil.cdc.gov/Phil/, Chris Zahniser, B.S.N., R.N., M.P.H.
The session started with opening remarks by Mr. John-Paul Vader, Senior Lecturer, Health Care Evaluation Unit, University Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Switzerland.
Mr. Theodore M. Brown, Professor of History, Community and Preventive Medicine, and Medical Humanities, University of Rochester, USA, presented a historical overview of several leading figures in 'Social Medicine': Rene Villerme, Rudolf Virchow, Andrija Stampar, Ludwik Rajchman, Sidney and Emily Kark, and Salvador Allende who addressed problems and possible solutions while struggling as leading members of progressive movements and organizations. Health inequities rooted in a social and economic order are difficult to overcome despite the considerable and repeated efforts. However, the ideas and actions of those figures in the past can provide courageous inspiration for the present and future generations.
Ms. Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy Director-General, International Organisation for Migration, mainly talked about the Report of the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH). By clarifying its aim, goal, and targets, she highlighted the problem of the migration of medical personnel, in particular. On an average, 1 in 4 African-trained doctors and 1 in 20 African-trained nurses work in countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which means that healthcare workers are few in number in Africa. Recognizing migration as a fundamental human right, Ms. Ndiaye suggested establishing some incentive-based retention strategies in countries of origin and destination, such as:
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.