At the preceding days to the last three World Social Foruns, which took place in Porto Alegre in 2002 and 2003, and in Mumbai in 2004, international foruns were organized and devoted to the defence of people’s health and to the assertion of the universal right on health.

At first, Latin American Association of Social Medicine – ALAMES were at the centre of those events, named FIDSP, which were leading by an array of organizations. From 2003 they have been both supported and called by the People’s Health Movement – PHM. Afterwards the 2004-Mumbai event was basically organized by People’s Health Movement.

The main intention of those attitudes has been to launch a world-wide call into every social movement in order to holding their interest toward both the right on health and the people’s health care, not only developing the real meaning of the World Social Forum Movement but also being like a free process that is capable of talking to every people or movement ethically committed to the universal, integral and equitable right on health.

We organized three foruns, moving constantly and safety forward : from Porto Alegre, in 2003, when 400 persons from 24 countries participated, to Mumbai, in 2004, when a number of 700 participants from 50 countries was achieved. The III International Forum in Health People’s Defence, in Mumbai, has reinforced the purpose that was built in Porto Alegre in January 2002 and 2003, when it was decided to carry out the First World Social Forum on Health on the subject of building up the agenda which should mainly support the formulation and construction of alternative reforms on health sector, oriented to public national systems on health and social security. ( See the Foruns 2002 and 2003’s conclusions by clicking on here . It is also attached the letter that was addressed to the WSF International Council in January 2004 ).

This World Social Forum on Health’s initiative makes straight and closer relations to the People’s Health Movement, trying to reinforce its agenda in the field of health and social security systems, making stronger the II World People’s Health Assembly which will be taking place in Cuenca – Equador in July 2005. The People’s Health Movement was structured around the I World People’s Health Assembly, that took place in Bangladesh in December 2000.