Bulletin #112: The struggle for health is a struggle against imperialism

People's Health Dispatch

16 Jan 2026 • 4 min read

This fortnight

When the United States attacked Venezuela at the beginning of 2026 and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, global health networks were quick to point out that the event was an assault on sovereignty as much as it was an assault on the right to health. As the US threatens more countries in Latin America, the People’s Health Movement and ALAMES stress that defending health is inseparable from the struggle against imperialism.

In Palestine, Israeli occupation forces continue their attacks on Gaza’s healthcare. Severe restrictions on essential supplies have caused a new health crisis, with newborns freezing to death in tent camps and dozens of Palestinian health workers still imprisoned, including pediatrician Hussam Abu Safiya.

In New York, private-sector nurses have launched their largest strike in the city’s history, demanding that wealthy hospitals allocate funds to safe staffing and decent working conditions rather than executive pay. In Brazil, health movements are also pushing back against the effects of privatization, advocating de‑privatization and a stronger public health system. Researcher Leonardo Mattos spoke with Outra Saúde about what de‑privatization would require and how it might be achieved.

In India, despite a drop in the price of the new HIV treatment Lenacapavir, many people are still unable to access it. A new video from the Working Group on Access to Medicines – India explores the barriers that keep this essential medicine out of reach.

Video

Lenacapavir: the HIV prevention breakthrough Indians can’t access

The new HIV medicine – Lenacapavir – is a breakthrough for HIV prevention. Two injections a year could change the game. But Indians can’t access it despite a drop in the price.