EPHA’s mission during the past ten years has been to promote and protect the health of all people living in Europe, and to advocate greater participation of citizens in health-related policy making at the European level. The EPHA staff aim to be public health campaigners though sometimes it is really hard to raise awareness on the issues.
It is difficult for several different reasons. First, the concept of public health is broader than the concept of personal well-being: it includes social, environmental, political and economic aspects. It implies an active effort by a community to reach "the highest attainable standards" of health for all. Public health is much more than the absence of disease.
Second, a campaigner needs to be a good speaker, an even better thinker and sometimes a visionary as well. A good advocacy campaign is a mix of innovation, communication, technical and political skills. Not all these qualities will usually feature in a single person.
Below the EPHA Secretariat identify their Public Health Heroes. They come from different countries, have different backgrounds and were chosen by different staff members. What do they have in common? Basically, the passion for advocacy on public health issues and a clear mind to help them lead a path towards better health conditions for all.
Jonathan MANN, Health professional and scientist, United States, Nominated by Diana G. SMITH, Editor and Communications Manager
A humane and logical response to HIV/AIDS
My hero is Jonathan Mann, first director of the World Health Organization’s Global Program on AIDS, who sadly died in a plane crash seven years ago.
When he arrived at WHO in 1986, AIDS was so little understood that the reactions of many people were a lethal combination of ignorance and terror. In Germany, a federal judge had said that it might be necessary to tattoo and quarantine anyone with the virus. In South Korea, six people who had tested positive for the virus were already behind bars.
Thanks to Jonathan Mann, the tide turned. He convinced people that the enemy was a lack of human rights - and that non-governmental and community-based organisations would be vital to halting the infection’s spread.
At WHO headquarters, fifteen years ago, this was radical thinking. Many members of staff would have preferred to avoid difficult encounters with representatives of African patients’ organisations, gay men’s groups and women’s health collectives. But Jonathan Mann not only invited activists to his meetings, he gave them centre stage.
His approach proved to be the right one. The first example of infection rates levelling off was in the well-organised gay communities in California. But the approach was not only effective, it was decent and just. It demonstrated, as his biographer says, "the practical usefulness of being ethical and respectful".
Maria Luisa CASTRO FONSECA, Politician and community group leader, Spain, Nominated by Lara GARRIDO HERRERO, Policy and Communications Assistant
A fighter for women’s health in Spain
Maria Luisa Castro Fonseca has been a Spanish MP for Izquierda Unida (left party) since April 2000. She has been a member of Izquierda Unida since its foundation and became a member of the Communist Party of Spain 38 years ago. Her grassroots political activity began in 1964. She says she has two commitments: gender issues and class issues. She has defended both during her time at the Madrid Town Hall and now continues in the Spanish Parliament - always working with full awareness that she is serving the community.
In her post at the City Hall (from 1999 to April 2000), she was rapporteur for health and consumer issues, equal opportunities, employment, and the environment. She chose her profession to render service to women. As a public health expert and pioneer in primary awareness programmes, she made a considerable contribution towards the acceptance of abortion as a right in Spain, and towards ending the shameful exodus of Spanish women to Holland, Portugal or France to terminate their pregnancies.
Throughout her career, Ms Castro Fonseca has worked for the improvement of women’s health, family planning and mother and child health. She considers herself a feminist first, and only secondly a member of a political party.
Bernard Kouchner, Health professional and politician, France, Nominated by Carole DEFOSSE, Office Manager
A French force for humanitarian action
Bernard Kouchner, the charismatic "French doctor" turned politician, has been a major stakeholder in the public health arena in France for many years. In 1971, he co-founded Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) where he continually spoke out against human rights abuse. Nine years later he set up Médecins Du Monde (MDM), which he chaired until 1988.
Dr Kouchner developed a well-known humanitarian doctrine called "the duty to intervene", stipulating that democracies are morally obliged to override the sovereignty of another nation in the name of human rights’ protection. His doctrine has since then been enshrined in United Nation’s texts. However, he soon became aware that humanitarian action could not replace political action and he held several ministerial positions (Social Integration, Humanitarian Action and Health) under French socialist governments between 1988 and 2002.
He was a very active health minister. He proposed legislation aimed at modernising the French health system, which was adopted. The new law asserts the general rights of people in the French national health system and their right to quality healthcare.
Médecins Sans Frontières won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999: this may have never been possible without the drive of Dr Kouchner.
Patti RUNDALL, Campaign leader, United Kingdom, Nominated by Génon K. JENSEN, Policy Director
A public health champion for babies’ nutrition
Healthy nutrition begins at birth, and overwhelming evidence exists that breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life. My heroine, Patti Rundall, has campaigned for over twenty years for better legislation in the UK and worldwide to ensure that mothers receive information on the advantages of breastfeeding, and are not misled by the marketing practices of baby food companies that encourage breast milk substitutes. In 2000, Patti received the prestigious Order of the British Empire (OBE) for "services to infant nutrition".
The World Health Organization and UNICEF estimate that reversing the decline in breastfeeding could save 1.5 million infants around the world each year. They call on companies to abide by the marketing requirements set out in the World Health Assembly Resolutions and the voluntary International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. As Policy Director of Baby Milk Action, Patti has lobbied to ensure that health and the rights of women and children are not forgotten in the drive to increase trade. This has involved speaking out to defend an age old and diminishing practice in sometime hostile fora, such as the European Parliament, national governments or even meetings of Nestlé shareholders. Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, has been the target of Baby Milk Action’s lobbying because of its repeated violations of the International Code.
Through effective monitoring and campaigns, often involving IBFAN, the international umbrella organisation, Baby Milk Action’s advocacy has resulted in voluntary guidelines becoming law in twenty countries.
Chad VARAH, Visionary, United Kingdom, Nominated by Tamsin ROSE, General Secretary
A listening ear for the deeply troubled
Public health means addressing the holistic environment of individuals, recognising the importance of social support, family and friendship networks to mental and physical well being. However, talking about personal issues, worries and fears can be difficult, embarrassing or culturally forbidden.
My visionary public health hero is Chad Varah, an Anglican clergyman who founded the "Samaritans" in 1953. He recognised the importance of an open discussion of taboo subjects such as sexuality. A parish priest in central London, he was appalled by the ignorance, shame and fear that surrounded such issues and so created an open drop-in centre. Quickly it became clear that the majority of clients didn’t need professional counselling or psychiatric intervention, but a safe, supportive and non-judgemental listener. The interaction between the empathetic listening from his volunteer office staff was as valuable as his more professional approach. So, the "befriending" principle was born.
The Samaritans’ crisis help lines are staffed by extensively trained volunteers, whose commitment to the core values of empowerment, non-judgement, and factual unbiased information remain valid today. Over the years, the Samaritans have helped hundreds of thousands of people back from the brink of despair and through personal crises. Chad Varah’s personal and human vision of supporting individuals in crisis regardless of their faith, age, gender, race, sexual orientation remains a landmark of public health based on respecting human rights.
Compiled by Francesco Longu.
