At the annual Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in Geneva, ministers agreed to prioritise women, youth, people with disabilities and vulnerable groups, in their ongoing push towards universal health coverage (UHC).
With UHC, all individuals can receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. However, half of the world’s population lacks full coverage of essential health services, while almost 100 million are being pushed into extreme poverty due to health care costs.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland added: “Health is both an input to and a desirable outcome of sustainable development. Any delays in addressing the needs of the most marginalised on the journey to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, results in much steeper challenges in the future.”
Ministers were especially concerned that 40 per cent of pregnant women were not receiving early antenatal care, while two-thirds of women experiencing gender-based violence were not accessing any services.
They highlighted the impact of mental health on entire communities, with more than one billion people living with mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders. Meanwhile, one billion people live with a disability, including one in six with a discernible disability in developing countries.
Ministers explored ways to tackle these challenges, along with other key issues such as adolescent health and violence, sexual and reproductive health, and communicable diseases and climate change.
The next health ministers meeting will be held in May 2020 and will be chaired by The Gambia.
Original source: ComSec
Published on 20 May 2019
