Letter To WHO On Binayak Sen
By Various Signatories
06 April, 2011
Countercurrents.org
To
Dr Margaret Chan
Director General, WHO
Dr Lucica Ditiu
Executive Secretary of the Stop TB Partnership
WHO
24 March 2011
Dear Dr Margaret Chan and Dr Lucia Ditiu,
Re. World TB Day and Dr Binayak Sen
We are at the halfway point of the Global Plan to Stop TB and are launching the World TB
Day 2010-2011 and this year’s campaign focuses on individuals around the world who
have found new ways to stop TB and can serve as an inspiration to others. With this focus
in mind we call your attention to the continuing imprisonment of Dr Binayak Sen, the first
Indian recipient of the 2008 Jonathan Mann award for Global Health and Human Rights.
We hope that you will take the time to consider Dr Sen’s lifelong good work and
commitment in the field of health, in particular his effort to control tuberculosis in
marginalised communities, and wish to draw your attention to his continued unfair and
vengeful incarceration by the state of Chattisgarh, India. He has also fought actively for the state to examine and redress the social determinants of poor health and huge burden of malnutrition that contributes to and co exists with the significant burden of TB amongst the marginalised tribal communities.
We are a group of doctors, nurses, medical students, researchers and health workers from
around the world, who share the global distress about the persecution of Dr Binayak Sen in India since 2007 and call for his immediate release so that he can carry out his work
promoting access to basic rights and equity in addressing health in general, and tuberculosis in particular.
Dr Binayak Sen is a paediatrician and public health specialist who has dedicated himself to
the welfare of the poorest and most disadvantaged members of society, and since 1978,
well before DOTS was introduced in India, has been working in the field of tuberculosis. In
1978, leaving his academic career at the Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Dr Sen joined a Quaker-supported rural
tuberculosis center in Central India. It was here Dr Sen practised innovative and needsbased approaches to control tuberculosis by convincing the authorities to be flexible in providing anti-tubercular drugs to communities who would otherwise discontinue their
treatment for specific and understandable reasons e.g. difficulties to access health facilities
during monsoon. We believe his approach was similar to community DOTS that has been
adopted at a much later stage.
Subsequently, during 1982-87, Dr Binayak Sen established a DOTS centre at a hospital run by mine workers in Chhattisgarh state which he helped set up and initiated tuberculosis promotion involving the mining communities themselves in awareness activities. Later, in 1994, founding a non-governmental organisation, Dr Sen focused on poverty and malnutrition in the control of tuberculosis and spoke about it in various forums, governmental and non-governmental. In a recent writing
(http://www.asianmedia.org/events/ACJ%20CONVOCATION.asp) he expressed his
concern about the growing trend of drug resistant forms of the disease in India and
emphasised the need for systematic WHO studies to explore the relationship between
tuberculosis and BMI in the country.
Dr Chan and Dr. Ditiu, it is in this context we would like to bring to your attention that Dr
Binayak Sen’s incarceration is a huge tragedy and loss to the field of public health. At the
local level we fear that the loss of this champion and also the services he provided and have not been replaced will contribute to an increased risk of further spreading of tuberculosis. Dr Sen has and would have continued to contribute tremendously through public health policy formulation and advocacy at the state level and the education and training of health activists and through his own practice to the effective control of tuberculosis in India. But Dr Sen is now in prison on false charges, sentenced for life. India urgently needs him to be free.
We hope you will take up the cause of Dr Binayak Sen’s freedom with immense
seriousness on the World TB Day.
For more information about this remarkable doctor and his incarceration, please visit,
www.freebinayaksen.org or www.binayaksen.net
Yours sincerely
Endorsed by Health professionals/Researchers/Medical students/Health Activists
1. Dr Anant Phadke, Coordinator, SATHI‐CEHAT, Pune, INDIA
2. Dr Amina Akram, Gynaecologist, Bangalore, INDIA
3. Dr. Anne Mattam, State ILEP Coordinator, Bihar (Leprosy), Damien Foundation India Trust. Patna, INDIA
4. Dr. Anup Sadhu, Radiologist, CT Scan and MRI unit, Medical College Bengal, Kolkata, INDIA
5. Dr Asesh Roy Choudhury, PMR Specialist, Agartala, Tripura, INDIA
6. Dr Ashok Moulick, Radiologist, Kolkata, INDIA
7. Dr Asish Kundu, PMR Specialist, former colleague of Binayak Sen in Chhattisgarh, Kolkata, INDIA
8. Dr Annapurna Nori, MD Public Health Physician, AUSTRALIA
9. Afsha Naz, Community Health Worker, Shirkat Gah, Karachi, PAKISTAN
10. Sir Andrew Haines, MD, FRCGP, FFPHM, FRCP, FMedSci, Professor of Public Health & Primary
Care, former Director of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
11. Anita Ganguli, Health Activist, Sheffield, UK
12. Dr Ajit Varki, Professor of Medicine and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Co‐Director – Center
for Academic Research and Training in Anthropology; Co‐Director – Glycobiology Research
and Training Center, University of California, CA, USA
13. Anindya Dutta, M.D., Ph.D. Byrd Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics,
Professor of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine Charlottesville, VA, USA
14. Anne V. Kane Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
15. Annie Venugopal, M.D. Medical Director Bernsen Rehabilitation Center Tulsa, OK, USA
16. Anita Cheriyan, MD Physician Cleveland, USA
17. Dr Ain‐ul‐Momina Zubair, Public Health Consultant, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
18. Dr Bishan S Garg, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Science, Sewagram, Wardha, INDIA
19. Dr Biju George, Professor of Haematology, CMC Vellore, INDIA
20. Dr. Buddhadeb Bagchi, Health activist, Retired teacher of Physics, Calcutta University, Kolkata, INDIA
21. Dr Bernice Dias, Nova Scotia, CANADA
22. Dr Bilkees Visaandji, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Montreal, Montreal, CANADA
23. Dr Binjwala Shreshtha, Women’s Health Researcher, Safe Motherhood Network Federation, Kathmandu, NEPAL
24. Dr Benjamin Allen, General Practitioner, UK
25. Bobby J. Cherayil, M.D., Associate Professor of Paediatrics, Harvard Medical School Mucosal
Immunology Laboratory Massachusetts General Hospital East Charlestown, MA, USA
26. Brett Leav, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
27. Dr Bindu Desai, Neurologist, Richmond, California, USA
28. Dr Chanchala Samajdar, Gynaecologist, former colleague of Binayak Sen in Chhattisgarh, Kolkata, INDIA
29. Dr Chandrima Chatterji, Health Researcher, Mumbai, INDIA
30. Professor Colin Butler, Associate Professor of Public Health, Australian National University, Canberra, AUSTRALIA
31. Dr Chet Raj Pant, Professor of Medical Education, Kathmandu University, Kathmandu, NEPAL
32. Dr Chris Bem, Consultant ENT Surgeon, Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
33. Cheleste Thorpe, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
34. Dr Carol Vance, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Columbia University, New York, USA
35. Cyrus R. Kapadia, MD Professor of Medicine, Program Director, Internal Medicine, Yale
University School of Medicine New Haven, CT, USA
36. Dr Deepa Braganza, MD, Physician, Christian Medical College Vellore, INDIA
37. Dr. Debashis Dutt, General Physician, President, Forum for Peoples’ Health, Kolkata, INDIA
38. Dr Daya Varma, MD, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, McGill University, Montreal, CANADA
39. Dr Deyanira Gonzalez , Reproductive Health Consultant, Mexico City, MEXICO
40. Dr D A Hellenberg, Professor, Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
41. Dr Daleep Mukarji, public health specialist and former CEO, Christian Aid, London, UK
42. Dr Diana Lewen Warner, General Practitioner, Bristol, UK
43. Darlena David, Researcher, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK
44. David J Olson, Director Communications, Global Health Council, Washington DC, USA
45. David W Oaks, Director, Mindfreedom International, Oregon, USA
46. E. Premdas, Coordinator, Community Health Cell, Bengaluru, INDIA
47. Dr Evi Douren , Community Health Worker, Jakarta, INDONESIA
48. Dr Edelena P Deal Paz, MD, Executive Director, Health Action Information Network, Manila, PHILLIPINES
49. Dr Easterine Mills‐Clarke, London, UK
50. Dr Gaurav Chhabbara, Founder Hum Log, Health activist Chandigarh, INDIA
51. Gordana Stankovic, United Nations, Hague, The NETHERLANDS
52. Dr Godwin Aja, MCH, Associate Professor, Babock University, llishan‐ remo, NIGERIA
53. Garga Chatterjee, Doctoral student, Department of Psychology, Harvard University, USA
54. Geneve Allison, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston MA, USA
55. George K. Chandy, MD Professor, Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, Microbiology
and Molecular Genetics, and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
56. Hester Julie, School of Public Health, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
57. Dr Honorine Ward, Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
58. Ilina Sen, RUPANTAR, Raipur (Chhattisgarh), INDIA
59. Dr Indrajit Sengupta, Psychiatrist, Kolkata, INDIA
60. Indra Sinha, Founder, Bhopal Medical Appeal, Bhopal, INDIA
61. Iskra Stoykova, Community Health Worker, Health and Social Development Foundation, Sofia, BULGARIA
62. Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Dala Lana School of Public Health,
University of Toronto Toronto, CANADA
63. Dr Iftikhaar Soomro, MD, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
64. Dr Imelda Namagambe, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, UGANDA
65. Indira Kotwal, MSW, MPH, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
66. Dr Jayanta Das, Dermatologist, Kolkata, INDIA
67. Dr Jyotirmoy Samajder, Psychiatrist, MANAS, Kolkata, INDIA
68. Dr. J. Sil, Retired Professor and Head, Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology,
University College of Medicine, University of Calcutta; President, Norman Bethune
Janaswasthya Andolan; Vice President, Bethune Institute of Geriatrics Research &
Rehabilitation Centre, Kolkata, INDIA
69. Dr Jose Booij, Physician, The NETHERLANDS
70. Dr Jon Skranes, MD, PhD, Professor of Paediatrics, Department of Laboratory Medicine,
Children’s and Women’s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, NORWAY
71. Josephine Hombarume, member, People’s Health Movement‐UK, London, UK
72. James Hellinger, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
73. John Paluzynski, Researcher Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA, USA
74. Joy Moy, MBS, Researcher, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
75. Dr Joel Lamstien, Director, Global Health Council, Washington DC, USA
76. J D Goodyear, Public Health Studies, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
77. Dr Kallol Das, ENT Specialist, Kolkata, INDIA
78. Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Health and Human Rights Activitist, Physicians for Human Rights, INDIA
79. Krish Sathian, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Rehabilitation Medicine & Psychology
Director, Neurorehabilitation Program, Department of Neurology, Medical Director, Center
for Systems Imaging Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
80. Dr K L Nayyar, Physician, Panchkula, INDIA
81. Professor, Kausar Khan, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aga Khan University Karachi, PAKISTAN
82. Dr Labony Banerjee, Neurologist, Kolkata, INDIA
83. Dr Leena Gangolli MD, PHR‐ India, Mumbai, INDIA
84. Leni Chaudhuri, Health Activist, JSA‐ Mumbai, Mumbai, INDIA
85. Professor Leslie London, School of Public Health and Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town. SOUTH AFRICA
86. Dr Manisha Gupte, Women’s Health Rights Activist, Founding member, MASUM, Pune, INDIA
87. Manmohan Sharma, Director, Voluntary Health Association Punjab, Chandigarh, INDIA
88. Dr. Meher Engineer, Vice President, Teachers and Scientists Against Maldevelopment, Health Activist, Kolkata, INDIA
89. Manas Joardar, University of Calcutta, Health Activist, Kolkata, INDIA
90. Dr Mira Shiva, Initiative for Health and Equity in Society, New Delhi, INDIA
91. Mehmuda Rehman Khan, Gender and Health Expert, USAID Programme, Dhaka, BANGLADESH
92. Dr Marcio Estrada, Senior Professor of Paediatrics, Hospital Hermonos Cordova, Bayamon, CUBA
93. Dr Marziah Moratari, PhD, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IRAN
94. Dr Mathura Prasad Shreshtha, Health Activist, PHM‐Nepal, Kathmandu, NEPAL
95. Magnus Odin Dahlseng, Medical student, Torndheim, NORWAY
96. Dr Mohamed Mukhtiyar, MD, MPH, PHD, Associate Professor Afhad University of Women, Omdurman, SUDAN
97. Professor Nighat Huda Aga Khan, Department of Medical Education, Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, PAKISTAN
98. Dr Manan Ganguli, MBBS, MSc, Health and Care consultant, Cambridge, UK
99. Mary Ganguli, MD, MPH Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
100. Mary Poonen, MD Physician, USA
101. Madhumathi Rao MD PhD FRCP(E), Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston MA, USA
102. Nissi Varki M.D Professor of Pathology University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
103. Dr Nidhip Patel, Medical/Paediatric Resident, University of Miami, Miami, USA
104. Dr Nalugo Margaret, MD, AAR Health Services, Kampala, UGANDA
105. Dr P Zachariah, Retired Professor and Head of Department of Physiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, INDIA
106. Dr Prabir Chatterjee, Health Consultant, Kolkata, INDIA
107. Dr Pranab Choudhury, Nano Structured Materials Division, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Health Activist, INDIA
108. Dr Punyabrata Gun, General Physician, Secretary, Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog, member Free Binayak Sen Campaign – Doctors in Solidarity, Kolkata, INDIA
109. Dr Pritha Guha Roy, Anaesthesiologist, Kolkata, INDIA
110. Dr Pankaj Mehta, UNICEF Nepal Country Office, Kathmandu, NEPAL
111. Dr. Panna Erasmus, MBBS, MSc Public Health Professional, UK (at present in SOMALIA)
112. Dr Peter Hall, MBBS, MRCPI, DGM; Chair, Doctors for Human Rights, UK
113. Dr Prem Chandran, Radiologist, Sheffield, UK
114. Dr Philip Ninan, MD Physician, USA
115. Dr Ravi Narayan, Society for Community Health Awareness, Research and Action, Bangalore, INDIA
116. Ravi Duggal, Health Analyst, International Budget Partnership, New Delhi, INDIA
117. R Majumdar, Professor, Dept of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Health Activist, Kolkata, INDIA
118. Dr Rajshankar Ghosh, Public Health professional, New Delhi, INDIA
119. Rabin Chakraborty, Retd., Department of Applied Physics, University of Calcutta, Health Activist, Kolkata, INDIA
120. Radhika Chandramani, Executive Director, TARSHI (Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health), New Delhi, INDIA
121. Dr Robert Carman, Pathology (retired), Department of Clinical Pathology & Blood Bank, Christian Medical College Vellore, INDIA
122. Dr Richa Minocha, Secretary, Jan Abhiyan Sanstha (People’s Health Movement), Himachal Pradesh, INDIA
123. Dr Rohan Ganguli, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, CANADA
124. Dr Refaat, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Walden University, Cairo, EGYPT
125. Dr Rosebella Onyango, MPH, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Community Development, Masino University, Kisumu, KENYA
126. Raman Rajagopalan, MS, ENT Surgeon, MALAYSIA
127. Dr Rogayah Jaafar, Professor of Medical Education, University of Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, MALAYSIA
128. Reidun Lauglo, MSc Sports Science, Physiotherapist, Rosenborgklinikken, Trondheim, NORWAY
129. Dr Raana Zahid, MD, MPH, Rawalpindi, PAKISTAN
130. Dr Rosena Sanchez, Department of Medical Education, University of Davao, Davao, PHILLIPINES
131. Dr Rachel Weiss, Professor, Clinical Skills Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
132. Ruth Stern, People’s Health Movement‐UK, London, UK
133. Dr Rahul Mukherjee, Respiratory Medicine, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK
134. Roberta O’Connor, PhD Research Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
135. Ranjan Duara, MD, FAAN Medical Director, Wien Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and
Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center Professor, Dept of Neurology, Herbert
Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International Univ., Miami, FL Associate Professor at
Mount Sinai, Depts of Medicine, Neurology and Psychiatry, Miller School of Medicine,
University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
136. Raj K. Narayan, MD Professor and Chairman Department of Neurosurgery and Director,
Cushing Neuroscience Institutes Hofstra North Shore‐Long Island Jewish School of Medicine Manhasset, NY, USA
137. Dr. Sanjay Kumar Chatterjee, Professor, Medicine, Medical College Bengal, Kolkata, INDIA
138. Dr Sanjay Chaturvedi, Professor of Community Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, INDIA
139. Dr Suhas Kolhekar, Virologist and Healthcare activist, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (People’s Health Movement), Pune, INDIA
140. Dr Sara Bhattacharji, MD Professor Christian Medical College, Vellore, INDIA
141. Dr Sanjay Nagraj, Hepatobiliary Surgeon, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, INDIA
142. Surasri Chaudhuri, Asst Prof, Dept of Chemistry, Vivekananda College,
Thakurpukur, Health Activist, Kolkata, India
143. Dr. Santanu Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, INDIA
144. Dr Smarajit Jana, Specialist in HIV programming, Kolkata, INDIA
145. Samantha Agarwal, Health Activist, Jaduguda, (working with Jharkhandis’ Organisation Against Radioactivity) INDIA
146. Dr Sitesh Dasgupta, Neurologist, Kolkata, INDIA
147. Dr Shila Kundu, Gynaecologist, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, INDIA
148. Dr Sujoy Roy, Hand Surgeon, Kolkata, INDIA
149. Dr Swapan Das, ESI Hospital, Kolkata, INDIA
150. Subhash Mendhapurkar, Director, SUTRA, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, INDIA
151. Sunita Singh, Health Activist, Delhi INIDA
152. Dr Shakuntala Chhabra, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mahatma Gandhi
Institute of Medical Science, Sewagram, Wardha, INDIA
153. Samia Afreen, Women Health Activist, NARIPOKHKHO, Dhaka, BANGLADESH
154. Shireen Huq, Women’s Health Activist, Founder, NARIPOKHKHO, Dhaka, BANGLADES
155. Dr Sharuna Vargehese, Director, Health Equity Initiatives, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
156. Dr Sharad Onta, Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, NEPAL
157. Dr Stefan Kutzsche, MD, PhD, MHA, Women and Child Clinic, Oslo University Hospital, Editor
of the Journal of the Norwegian Paediatric Association, NORWAY
158. Dr Shershah Syed, Surgeon, Pakistan Forum on Womens health, Karachi, PAKISTAN
159. Dr Sarah Kiguli, Head of Paediatrics, Makarere University of Uganda, Kampala, UGANDA
160. Dr Sushila Ganguli, MD, SHO, SHO, Barnet Hospital, London, UK
161. Shahid Perwez , Post doctoral Fellow, University of Warwick, UK
162. Sateesh Ganguli, Medical student, St. George's Hospital, London, UK
163. Shanta E. Kapadia, MD Lecturer, Anatomy, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, CT, USA
164. Shahnaz Duara, MD Professor of Paediatrics University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Miami, FL, USA
165. Shiv Pillai, MD, PhD Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA Professor of Health Sciences Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA, USA
166. Dr Shivani Patel, MD, John Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
167. Dr Sthuthi Jebaraj, MBBS, Public Health Specialist Boston, MA, USA
168. Dr Tuhin Roy, Medical Practitioner, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, INDIA
169. Dr Thomas Palocaren, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Christian Medical College, Vellore, INDIA
170. Dr Teo Siang Chin, Former President Malaysian Medical Association, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
171. Dr Torstein Vik, Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s
Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, NORWAY
172. Dr Todd Maja, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University, Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA
173. Dr Usha Naik, MD Emeritus Professor Osmania Medical College Hyderabad, INDIA
174 Dr Utpala Bandhopadhya, MD Physician, USA
175. Dr Vivek Kordey, Physican, Mumbai, INDIA
176. Professor Valerie Ehlers, PhD, University of South Africa, Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA
177. Dr William A.M. Cutting MBChB, former Reader in International Child Health (University of
Edinburgh) and Consultant to WHO, London, UK
178 Dr Yasmin Amarsi, RN, PhD; Dean and Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, KENYA
Endorsed by Health Organisations
1. Physicians for Human Rights – India, Mumbai, INDIA
2. Jan Aarogya Abhiyan, Maharashtra (People’s Health Movement), Pune, INDIA
3. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Mumbai (People’s Health Movement), INDIA
4. National Alliance on Maternal Health and Human Rights, New Delhi, INDIA
5. Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog (Workers’ Health Initiative), Kolkata, INDIA
6. IFHHRO ‐ Int'l Federation of Health and Human Rights Organisations, Utecht, The NETHERLANDS
7. Peoples Health Movement ‐ Global, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
8. Doctors for Human Rights, London, UK
9. Global Health Council, Washington DC, USA
10. Physicians for Human Rights ‐ USA
11. Peoples Health Movement ‐ USA
12. Hesperian Foundation, Berkeley, CA, USA
13. Pakistan Medical Association, Karachi, PAKISTAN
14. People’s Health Movement‐ Nepal, Kathmandu, NEPAL
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