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WHS Global Health Dialogue, September 7, 2023

"Recommitting to Universal Health Coverage"

In partnership with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and UNICEF

Universal health coverage (UHC) is crucial to reaching “SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being for all”, yet the progress towards it has stalled in recent years, to large parts due COVID-19. Scaling up political commitment across the globe will be central to achieving UHC.

Together with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and UNICEF, the World Health Summit hosted its third WHS Global Health Dialogue this year with selected high-level guests from politics, academia, civil society and the private sector for an open discussion on how to recommit to universal health coverage.

Practical solutions, including the use of telemedicine as well as open-source digital health solutions, will be key accelerators of UHC progress on which the ambassadors of India and Kenya shared valuable examples. The civil society representatives stressed not only the importance of transparency and involvement of civil society in high-level meetings, but also equal and respectful partnerships towards UHC. 

Voices

"The issue of strengthening country systems is critical. If this isn't done, it’s all just a game."
Tom Amolo
Ambassador, Embassy of Kenya, Germany

"If you want to distribute vaccines in an equitable way, which is essential to universal health coverage, you need to ask yourself first where vaccines are manufactured."
Guillaume Grosso
Director, Sovereign & Private Sector Engagement, Donor Relations & Campaigns, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance

"At the heart of universal health coverage are the health care workers and we have to ensure they are safe, secure and funded."
Tina Rudolph
Subcommittee on Global Health, German Bundestag

"As long as there are deliberate attacks on health system structures, universal health coverage is unattainable." 
Florian Westphal
CEO, Save the Children Germany