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| Public health network members in action |
Nigerian doctors against gun violence |
Drs Ime John (l) and Emmanuel Eduru (far right) from the IANSA Public health
network in Nigeria alongside WAANSA executives at regional conference on small
arms 2007
Physician leaders of the IANSA Public Health Network and IPPNW/Nigeria, Dr. Ime John (IPPNW co-president) and Dr. Emmanuel Eduru, brought a public health message to regional conference in Abuja (Nigeria), 26-17 July 2007. The subject of the conference was the ratification of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials. The conference was organised by the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The agenda was to develop strategies for lobbying the various governments of ECOWAS (15 West African states) to ratify the convention that was signed by regional leaders in June 2007.
Nigerian Inspector-General of Police (IG) Mike Okiro was reported as saying that the major challenge facing peace and security in the West African Sub-region is the constant proliferation of small arms. According to Dr. Eduru, representatives from the Nigerian Parliament in attendance gave their word that once the ratification bill is brought to the Parliament they will not hesitate to pass it into law. |
IPPNW during the 2007 Global Week of Action |
In El Salvador, doctors Andrew Pinto and Emperatriz Crespin addressed family doctors
and professors as part of a Week of Action lecture at the Evangelica University on 18 June. The doctors spoke about the impact of small arms on public health. The event was coordinated by members of the IANSA Public Health Network and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
Also during the Week of Action, IANSA/IPPNW coordinated a workshop on Teach Youth Violence & Injury Prevention. The workshop brought together students from the National University of El Salvador. The participants were students of health promotion, physiotherapy, nursing and anaesthesiology. |
The impact of small arms on health in Nigeria. |
Abstract from Med Confl Surviv. 2005 Oct-Dec;21(4):312-4
Dr Ime A John (Society of Nigerian Doctors for the Welfare of Mankind, Kano, Nigeria)Nigeria, the most populous Black country in the world, though it has contributed to the welfare of other African countries, is plagued by internal conflicts with small arms. Over a million illegal small arms circulate in Nigeria in the hands of militant groups. Over 10,000 may have died in conflicts between these groups and the government. Quality health care is unavailable in much of the country, and small arms injuries often overstretch emergency health care. A national committee has been set up to implement the ECOWAS moratorium on small arms and light weapons, but much remains to be done. |
One Bullet Story presented at Nobel Laureates Summit, 2005 |
A one bullet story was presented at the Nobel Laureates Summit in Rome (Italy), 23-26 November 2006. The theme for this year's summit was Africa emergency, from attention to action.
Ime John (MD, MPH) Vice President, IPPNW - Africa Region, presented the Kenya and Zambia examples of the 'one bullet story', showing the health and the economic impacts caused by a single bullet.
Dr John also discussed the activities of IANSA, IPPNW the 2005 BMS, the First (Disarmament) Committee of the UN General Assembly, and the global Arms Trade Treaty.
At the press conference, Dr John answered two questions related to the campaign of the IANSA Public Health Network. |
India: Fact-finding mission to the Punjab |
| A delegation from the Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection (IIPDEP) visited villages and hospitals in the Punjab along the gun-afflicted border with Pakistan. Click here for report and photos. |
Syria: IANSA Public Health member interviewed by newspaper |
On Sept 1, 2005, Al-Thawra Syrian Official Newspaper, published an interview with Dr. Ghassan Shahrour on the Book: People Building Peace II. See the link in the right for the article.
The book includes successful stories of the role that civil society can play to help build peace. The interview highlighted that the great stories, ideas, insights of this book offer a workable contributions to the work of practitioners and peace builders that help make our world more secured and free from violent conflict. The book added important resource to the Global Conference held at the UN Headquarters in New York on 19 – 21 July 2005, the result of three years of work of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), and a beginning for a larger, global initiative of people building peace. |
Syria: Public Event on the Culture of Tolerance |
27-28 August 2005: A series of events on tolerance and a culture of dialogue were held in Homs City, Syria. Taking part of the events were Dr. Ahmed Hassoun, the Syrian Mufti, Mr. Michael Samaha, Lebanese ex-minister and many religious leaders as well as officials, NGOs and the public. The speakers highlighted the importance of dialogue and tolerance and pointed out that all religions call for them. They also stressed that religions have called at all times and all places to respect human beings.
Report by Ghassan Shahrour MD, Syria |
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