Global health is the big issue, says Medact

Health campaign Medact is urging the new parliament to expand its horizons beyond the national issues on which the election was fought, and face the key global health challenges of the coming century.

The important threats to the health of Britain – and the world – ‘do not recognise national boundaries’, says Medact, which is pressing for international approaches to be supported by Britain.

In particular, Medact is highlighting the effects of continuing conflicts on civilian populations, leading to large movements of asylum seekers and refugees, alongside other global threats such as continuing nuclear arsenals and the failure to secure any effective international agreement on global climate change.

It called on the government to confront racial prejudice and improve income support and access to health services for refugees and asylum seekers.

Dr June Crown, Medact president, said: ‘We challenge the new government to take account of these issues as a matter of urgency’.

James Munro

Medact’s manifesto for promoting global health

Improve refugee health and wellbeing – confront racial hatred, increase income support and access to services
Promote nuclear disarmament – oppose the US National Missile Defense, reduce UK arms exports
Cancel the debt of the poorest countries – stop taking debt repayments, change IMF and World Bank policy
Tackle global climate change – support the Kyoto protocol, increase investment in renewable energy