© 2000 International Council of Nurses

Joining the new ‘Massive Effort’

This October the World Health Organization

brought together 250 representatives from health

related non-governmental organisations, advocacy

groups and private industry, to discuss an extraordi-

nary new offensive against diseases most associated

with poverty. Labelled ‘Massive Effort’ the initiative

will make large pools of funding and other

resources available for initiatives to combat these

diseases. The idea is both exciting and risky.

World-wide extreme poverty affects 1.5 billion

people; the majority women and children. Today

one-third of the world’s children are hungry and

undernourished.

The diseases most associated with poverty –

tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, childhood dis-

eases such as measles and diarrhoeal conditions,

and complications associated with pregnancy and

delivery – inflict a terrible and disproportionate toll

of death and disability among the world’s poorest

people. Yet a number of effective health interven-

tions that drastically reduce mortality from these

killers already exist. The ‘Massive Effort’ is dedicated

to scaling up the global effort and pooling resources

to fight these diseases and reduce poverty.

One in five of the world’s people have no

access to health services. This means countries will

need to look not just at treating disease, but also at

the underlying problems of infrastructure. You

can see the extent of the challenge for poor

countries.

In May 2000, the International Council of

Nurses, the International Pharmaceutical Federa-

tion and the World Medical Association called on

governments to prioritise resources to ensure the

availability of health care services, and to push for

the cancellation of debts of poor countries. At the

time of the G8 meeting in Japan this past July, ICN

and its G7 member associations also called for debt

cancellation for the poorest nations. The more

money spent on debt repayment, the less available

for health, education, and the infrastructure to

support a nation’s well being.

What can you do?

Lobby your government on debt relief for poor

countries. And ask organisations you are affiliated

with to do the same. Lobby for strengthening

nursing in the countries that are receiving assistance

from ‘Massive Effort’. The ‘Massive Effort’ is risky,

but we can’t afford to lose.

At a minimum, success will require strong health

care services. And that equates with sufficient

numbers of skilled nurses to tackle health policy,

advocacy, promotion, case finding, treatment and

follow up. And that means having strong national

nursing organisations. We need to ensure that

nurses in participating countries are part of the

‘Massive Effort’ at policy and provision levels. In

addition we can work to help find the money and

temporary experts countries will need, advocate for

long-term national health and nursing plans, and

consider twinning or other partnership arrange-

ments between national associations, universities,

health care agencies, other non-governmental

groups and even communities.

All of us want a healthier world. Nurses are

needed to make it happen.

Judith Oulton

Chief Executive Officer

International Council of Nurses

Inside View

197

ICN