By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – World body on Monday said that progress towards the universal healthcare goal has been undeniable: barriers to health services, education and family planning have been almost completely removed.
The health ministers, diplomats and civil society experts gathered in New York after concerns that gains are being reversed, issued a call to place human health and dignity at the heart of sustainable development.
The 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development they stressed the urgency of providing universal access to quality health care – reaffirming commitments to the Programme of Action established at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.
Katja Lasseur, Chair of the 58th session, welcomed over 120 Member States, observers and 50 NGOs, highlighted the momentum behind the week’s discussions. “Health is not a privilege,” she declared.
“It is a human right and a prerequisite for sustainable development.”
The real progress has been achieved since 2000. Life expectancy has increased by 10 years in Africa and nine years in South Asia, leaders stated. .
The child mortality has dropped by more than half and cases of HIV have dropped by 50 per cent.
Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy emphasized that “These gains demonstrate what is possible with sustained political will and investment,” warned that progress has been “uneven.”
“Health related targets, including universal health coverage, remain within reach,” he said, but they require urgent and equitable investment, particularly in primary health care and health coverage.
Comments are closed.