Three-week course starting from December 1, 2021
The International People’s Health University (IPHU) of the People’s Health Movement (PHM) and the Third World Network, announces “THE STRUGGLE FOR HEALTH AND ACCESS TO COVID-19 MEDICAL PRODUCTS”, a short online training course for young public health professionals including health activists. This is an advanced level course aimed at professionals and activists already working on or having knowledge of the issues of intellectual property and access to medicines and medical products.
Curriculum:
The course, to be held online, will discuss the struggle for health during the Covid-19 pandemic with a focus on issues of access to medicines and medical products. It will commence with a broad overview of the context in which vaccines, medicines and other medical products remain out of reach for common people. In particular, the course will cover issues around the science, research & development and intellectual property barriers such as patents and trade secrets. The course will also explore various solutions to increase access to the Covid-19 medical products including the usage of TRIPS Flexibilities and the TRIPS Waiver proposal which has received considerable support around the world.
Objectives:
IPHU short courses are designed to enable younger public health professionals, including health activists, to make new connections, share experiences and study together with an aim to join the People’s Health Movement and the wider movement for health equity globally. This particular course is meant to sensitise the participants on the issues of health, access to medical products and human rights that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Application process:
To participate in the course, you will have to complete the application form. Organisers will review the applications and select participants for the course. A total of 30-40 participants will be selected. The enrolment policy aims to achieve:
– Gender balance,
– Diversity of involvements: community based organizations, health care agencies, NGOs, universities, government officials etc; and
– Diversity of skills, records of activism, interests, experience, and educational backgrounds.
Priority, with respect to enrolment, will be given to:
– Younger people motivated to get involved with PHM
– Primary health care, public health practitioners and those working towards issues of Access to Medical Products;;
– People who have been active with the PHM, or affiliated organizations;
– Applicants from low and middle income countries.
Essentials to Apply:
Access to reliable computer and internet access
Participants must have basic understanding on the issues of Intellectual property and access to medical products.
Duration: Three weeks (classes every Wednesday and Saturday)
1st, 4th, 8th, 11th, 15th and 18th of December, 2021.
Sessions Per Week: 2 Sessions (3 hours each)
(We have provided the options for suitable time in the application form from among 9 AM GMT and 12 PM GMT. The session timing will be chosen based on the timing that suits most of the applicants. Kindly note that the organisers will take the final decision)
Mode of Study:
Online Course with 2 contact sessions of 3 hours each every week and with an expected commitment of another 4 hours to complete the course work every week. So, a total of 10 hours every week is required to attend the course.
The selected students will also be able to access classes and study material through the moodle being specially created for the purpose of this IPHU. The course will involve pre-reading and exercises, lectures, and small group discussions.
Language:
The course will be conducted entirely in English.
Registration Fee and Scholarship:
It is our endeavor to provide students with scholarships to attend the online course. In this regard, the registration fee of 20 USD will be waived off for all those who are selected.