Health Poverty Action

Health Poverty Action has been working to strengthen poor and marginalised people in their struggle for health for over 30 years.

We draw strength from the knowledge we are not alone, but part of a global movement for health justice – the People’s Health Movement (PHM).

The PHM is today’s embodiment of the primary health care movement that achieved ground-breaking success at the UN Alma-Ata Conference in 1978 - championing a justice-oriented approach to healthcare often referred to as the "Primary Health Care Approach" or "Alma-Ata Principles".

We believe: 

“Health is a social, economic and political issue and above all a fundamental human right.  Inequality, poverty, exploitation, violence and injustice are at the root of ill-health and the deaths of poor and marginalised people.  Health for all means that powerful vested interests have to be challenged, and that political and that economic priorities have to be drastically changed.  [We encourage and support] people to develop their own solutions, and to hold accountable local authorities, national governments, international organisations and corporations.”