Local lessons from the WHO world report on social determinants of health equity

The World Health Organization World report on social determinants of health equity, released this week, is a landmark review of evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations to guide governments, civil society and international organizations in creating just and equitable health systems, but how much relevance do global recommendations have for Derry City & Strabane? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

"The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and intensified health inequities, dramatically illustrating how systemic inequalities place marginalized and vulnerable groups at disproportionate risk," says WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "The impacts reverberated beyond physical health to affect mental, social and economic well-being, highlighting the need for holistic and inclusive approaches to health equity."

We combed through the document and pulled out three key insights for everyone working to improve health in Derry and Strabane:

1. "Information is an important determinant of health in its own right, with misinformation and disinformation growing mediators of health outcomes"
   ...or, put more simply, misinformation is genuinely causing harm. But the solutions aren't simple: "Frameworks which systematically promote health information equity, including with particular reference to information on the social determinants of health, are urgently needed," the report concludes.
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2. Effective action on health equity is local! "People on the ground and local entities understand their specific challenges, opportunities and context, making them better positioned to identify and implement actions on social determinants," says the report which also highlights that "supporting these local efforts with adequate resources, authority and policy backing is crucial for their success."
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3. Peace is critical for health. The report notes that "countries that have avoided conflict have halved their poverty rates over the past decade, while in fragile and conflict affected states, poverty rates have been stuck at 40% or more," and that global conflict has wide impacts through forced migration and displacement.

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