Sacrificing the WHO to the Highest Bidder

Citation

(2008), "Sacrificing the WHO to the Highest Bidder", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2008.06221eae.004

Sacrificing the WHO to the Highest Bidder

Article Type: Recent publications From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 21, Issue 5

Théodore H. MacDonald,Radcliffe Publishing,2008,ISBN-10 1 84619 252 8; ISBN-13 9781846192524,

Keywords: Social responsibility, Public health, Healthcare policy

Théodore has chosen the hard life of a persistent fighter of conscience, with his powerful pen, against super-power chauvinism, socially irresponsible neoliberalism, and indecisive leadership in the UN and many of its agencies. His writings deal critically and extensively with many layers of social injustice as they impact on the health and rights of peoples in the third world. Analytically scrupulous. His rich experience, gained in working as a doctor in many third world countries and interacting with different cultures, has obviously opened such important and credible intellectual resources to him. These he employs to equip social advocates, and the suffering peoples themselves, to understand the political, sociocultural and economic determinants of the social injustices they suffer. This book is … analytically scrupulous … timely and appropriate (Mathura P Shrestha, in his Foreword).

This remarkable book offers enlightening reading for everyone interested in international law, human rights, global health, public health and health promotion. Public health and health promotion professionals, including international healthcare organisations, care agencies, and international charities will find the analysis illuminating. It is also of great interest to policy makers and shapers in communities and government, political activists and all those with an interest in equality and globalisation.

Provocative and well researched. A brilliant and thoroughgoing analysis. Truly educational at every stage. Coherently argued. Extraordinarily insightful (David Player, in his Foreword).

Contents include:

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  The UN – Its origins, problems and contradictions.

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  Selling off the UN to neoliberalism.

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  Privatisation of water – and the problems of sustainability.

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  Dams and dambusters.

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  WHO – accessory after the fact?

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  The UN’s dalliance with nuclear power.

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  Neoliberalism and the human right to health.

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  Is the WHO mandate workable?

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  Summary and recommendations.