With its ‘Only Fighters Win’ campaign, Viva Salud is putting Rachel, Miguela, Khaled and Razan in the spotlight. As members of an important movement, they are committed to fighting for the right to health on a daily basis. But it is far from easy. Here are their stories.
Miguela Piniero
Health worker in farming communities, Quezon, Philippines
Miguela Piniero grew up in a farming family in Quezon, an agricultural region far from the centre of the Philippines. The government does not invest much in healthcare facilities there. Poverty means that six out of ten Filipinos die without ever seeing a doctor. That is why Miguela joined the health committees of the Council for Health and Development (CHD). For years, she has provided free healthcare to her neighbours and educated them about their rights.
On 4 February 2012, Miguela, then aged 49, heard threatening voices behind her. When she turned around, she found herself in the line of fire of a group of soldiers. They started by taking her handbag, then pushed her into their vehicle. These men did not care that Miguela knew her rights. The soldiers arrested this worker outside of any legal framework. Seven years later, Miguela is still in prison.
Rachel Mariano
Healthcare worker and human rights activist, Cordillera, Philippines
Rachel dedicates her life to protecting indigenous communities in the Cordillera region of the Philippines. She helps set up health programmes in remote communities. On 18 September 2018, Rachel has lunch with her family and friends, who have come to support her as she faces an extremely difficult task: Rachel must report to the police. She did so to defend herself against numerous murder charges she did not commit. During the hearing, it became clear that the evidence had been falsified. On 4 September 2019, under pressure from social movements, she was acquitted after a year in prison.
Khaled Rehaan
Doctor in a primary health centre, Palestine
Khaled is a doctor at a Palestinian health centre in a region where the Israeli occupation army makes daily life very difficult for Palestinians. On 28 October 2018, a tear gas grenade fired by the Israeli army landed inside the centre. While the medical team was treating people injured during a demonstration in the surrounding area, they had to flee from the toxic fumes. Some of Khaled's colleagues and patients suffered severe breathing difficulties.
Razan Al Najjar
Volunteer nurse, Gaza, Palestine
Razan was a first-aid worker and volunteer with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS). Since the start of the Great March of Return on 30 March 2018, Palestinians in Gaza have been staging peaceful demonstrations every Friday at the border with Israel, where the Israeli army has responded with violence. Razan was there every Friday to provide first aid to the wounded and help evacuate them. On 1 June 2018, the aid she was providing proved fatal. Israeli soldiers killed her while she was treating the wounded. Razan was 21 years old.
FOLLOW THE STRUGGLE OF OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS VIA WHATSAPP
These are not isolated cases, far from it. Health workers and human rights activists are being threatened in an attempt to make them give up their fight against injustice. And it is when social rights violations are most frequent that social movements face the most serious attacks.
Follow the struggle of our healthcare workers via WhatsApp:
1. Add Viva Salud to your contacts on your mobile phone with the number 0470 82 72 22.
2. Send us a WhatsApp message with your name and “I'm signing up”.”
3. We will keep you informed.
