ZCZC
BSS-43
IPU-UHC-GENEVA
IPU preparing resolution to achieve UHC by 2030
by Dilara Hossain
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 23, 2019 (BSS) – To underline the parliamentary commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is preparing a resolution on achieving UHC by 2030: the role of parliament in ensuring the right to health.
“The IPU is planning to adopt it at the 141st IPU Assembly in October 2019. As part of this process, a global consultation with parliamentarians took place in April, 2019,” Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General said at a technical briefing on the sideline of the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) at Geneva, Switzerland.
“The international community has committed to achieve UHC by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. A global resolution will be adopted by the United Nations at a high level meeting in September 2019,” Martin Chungong added.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented the keynote address at the briefing.
Moderated by WHO Deputy Director General Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, the briefing was also addressed by Bangladesh Member of Parliament and Chair of IPU Advisory Group on Health, and co-rapporteur of the IPU resolution on UHC Professor Md Habibe Millat, among others.
The resolution proposed by Dr Md Habibe Millat was hugely appreciated at the briefing.
In his speech, Prof Millat focused on the importance of global health security for overall health safety, alongside the importance of political willingness in this regard.
“UHC poses challenges to all countries. The approaches must be tailored to the specific national context and priorities, while still observing the underlying principles of health as a basic human right, equity, justice and solidarity. UHC is therefore not only central to health, but also development, social inclusion and cohesion,” Dr Millat said.
He also emphasized on correct implementation of different plans apart from policy and financial assistance to this end. Dr Millat spoke about effective role of a parliamentarian to ensure right of standard health for the people.
The WHO Director General in her speech said the purpose of WHA technical briefing is to highlight the significance of parliamentary action on UHC, to discuss how parliaments can address key UHC challenges, and to provide inputs to the development of the IPU resolution on UHC.
Health Services Division Secretary Md Asadul Islam, Director General of Health Services Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Additional Secretary Habibur Rahman, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s former adviser Syed Modasser Ali, were present on the occasion, among others.
BSS/DH/MMA/2017hrs