REPORT ON MEETING WITH HILARY BENN, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT WEDNESDAY 11TH APRIL 2007
In June of last year at the National Delegates Conference, I signed a petition and chatted with a young lady on the OXFAM stand. The petition was to be handed to the government and was asking for support in sending teachers and healthcare staff to developing countries. During the conversation, I told the OXFAM representative about our work in Chad and she asked me for my contact details which I gave her. In September I received call from Craig Owen at the Cardiff OXFAM office asking for information about our initiative and some contact details for them to use in spreading the word about the petition. I spoke to him on several occasions and then as far as I was concerned, that was that. On Friday 30th March, I had a call from Craig asking whether I would be the lone Welsh representative in the delegation to hand the petition to Hilary Benn at Number 10, Downing Street! After a pause of a fraction of a second to consider the request, of course I agreed! ...
... I arrived at OXFAM’S London HQ at 10.45am. Claire
Seaward gave us the programme for the day and much to our disappointment,
we were informed that we would not be able to go inside number 10, Downing
Street to meet Hilary Benn, but would be meeting him at DFID (Department
for International Development) and then going to Downing Street for a
photo opportunity. Ironically, Tony Blair was in Cardiff speaking about
a statue of Jim Callaghan being erected in the city as I was in Downing
Street!
As we sat together, enjoying coffee and pastries, all the people who had worked in developing countries were introducing themselves and giving a ...
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brief
summarytheir experiences. These ranged from spending years in countries
such as Guatemala and Botswana, to my two visits to Chad which amounted
to less than a month, short by their standards. However, there was
recognition that the extra-ordinary success of our charity in saving
the lives of more than 1,100 women and their babies was amazing
and deserved recognition. My additional comment was that this success
had been relatively easy, just by sourcing and shipping the Magnesium
Sulphate and antibiotics. At 12.20pm the whole party walked the
short distance to DFID and following the expected security procedures,
we were shown to Hilary Benn’s office. The Secretary of State
was waiting outside his office and shook each person’s hand
as they gave their names and the |
reasons why
they were there. When my turn came, I mentioned that I had met him
at the TUC Conference in Brighton in 2005, at a lunchtime seminar on Making
Poverty History where I had told him about my imminent visit to Chad.
As soon as I mentioned Chad, his expression changed to one of remembering
the conversation and he said “Indeed you did.. how did it go?”
I replied that I had been twice and that 1,100 women have been successfully
treated with the drugs we have sent. On reflection I think that he remembered
because not many people go to Chad! I
added that I had brought some reports and photographs to leave with him,
which he seemed very pleased to accept...
... The discussions were very productive, with issues such as maintaining
the presence of medical staff in the poorest regions of the world, where
staff try to provide a service against all the odds. One doctor stated
that he been the only medical person serving a population of 90,000 for
3yrs and had to leave the area without another doctor to take his place.
A Specialist Mother & Child HIV/AIDS Nurse informed the Secretary
of State that she was actually leaving the UK to live in South Africa.
This was because her NHS employer was not fully supporting her role in
a situation where the number of affected women and children was rising
steadily. My question was about medical and nursing staff having to take
annual leave or unpaid leave in order to undertake these much needed roles.
I suggested that staff, of which there were many, could access a fund,
or rather their employers could access a funding stream which would reimburse
them in order to backfill the post. He referred to a report written by
Lord Nigel Crisp which was accessible via the DFID website. (I have accessed
this document since my return and will read it in the coming days and
weeks.) This 180 page document is entitled “GLOBAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS;
The UK contribution to health in developing countries.” Everyone
was mindful that issues such as these would be discussed at the G8 summit
which was due to be held in Germany in June. The Secretary of State reminded
everyone that whilst more money was needed for overseas development, the
UK was one of the highest contributors from amongst the rich nations,
ahead of the USA and many of the European countries...
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... The meeting
ended at 13.20hrs and we then made our way to Downing Street where the
police had been given prior notice of our arrival. The inevitable security
checks preceded our use of the famous address for individual and group
photographs and we then handed in the “Prescription” as prepared
by OXFAM for supporting developing countries by assisting in providing
health professionals and teachers.
We made our
way back to OXFAM HQ for lunch and to evaluate the occasion; the general
view being that the Secretary of State was clearly very interested in
what was being achieved, was very aware of the issues and was quick to
respond with statistics such as the many thousands of children who remain
HIV–ve due to the improved distribution of Anti-Retroviral Drugs
and the additional 20million children worldwide who are now attending
school, having previously been denied the opportunity. Sadly 80million
children are still unable to access schooling, but progress is being made
and needs to be sustained. The point was well made, that in order to have
a school, one does not necessarily need a building. However a school cannot
function without a teacher!
By 3pm, representatives began leaving in ones and twos, all in agreement
that the experience had been well worth some of the long journeys which
had been undertaken. Claire expressed her thanks to everyone for making
the day such a success and she was thanked for giving us the opportunity
to tell our stories to the Secretary of State.
As we left, I admitted to my new found colleagues that in comparison with
their many years of working in developing countries and given my short
experiences in Chad, I felt like a novice. Nevertheless, they were very
impressed with what had already been achieved through our charity.
ANGELA GORMAN 12TH APRIL 2007