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Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n at the closing of the High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n 21 September 2023\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We have come to the end of a very successful High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let me express my deep thanks to all delegations for your keen engagement and active participation in this process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The presence of so many Heads of State and Government, and Health Ministers from across the world is a proud testament to the global resolve to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I am proud of the progress we have made today:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We approved an important political declaration reaffirming the right of every human being, without distinction, to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And we held two very fruitful multi-stakeholder panel discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In panel 1, we recognized that UHC is fundamental to optimising health and well-being, but it also contributes to ending poverty to supporting education, gender equality and peaceful, inclusive societies.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We acknowledged that refocusing health systems on\u00a0primary health care<\/b>\u00a0is the most cost-effective way to deliver on this promise, especially for the most vulnerable populations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By placing\u00a0people<\/b>\u00a0at the centre of health systems, this approach shifts the focus away from disease and treatment towards health promotion and prevention.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We also recognized the benefits of technology in helping to ensure continued access to essential health services in times of crises.<\/span><\/p>\n In panel 2 \u2013 aligning our investments for health and well-being in a post-COVID world \u2013 we recognised that achieving UHC by 2030 requires\u00a0substantial public sector investment<\/b>\u00a0and accelerated action by Governments and partners alike.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Public financing, greater prioritisation of health in Government budgeting and smarter investments are\u00a0all<\/b>\u00a0critical to promoting health and preventing disease.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We heard that country-led processes that align donor support behind a one-plan, one-budget, and one monitoring framework are important steps to move towards universal health coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Parliamentarians, in particular, have a key role to play in approving health-sensitive budgets and ensuring oversight in their implementation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In sum, we need to drive investments in the\u00a0right<\/b>\u00a0direction by listening to communities, especially marginalized and vulnerable groups. There is indeed a cost to doing nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The three High Level Meetings on health and the SDG Summit, together, are generating significant momentum for radically stepping up action to fulfil the SDGs.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We cannot afford to let it fade.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us bolster our commitments.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us work harder to place good health within\u00a0everyone\u2019s reach<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 and, in turn, create a brighter future of\u00a0peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability<\/b>, leaving no one behind.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I thank you.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,\u00a0\u00a0 Mr. Dennis Francis,\u00a0\u00a0 at the closing of the High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage 21 September 2023\u00a0 \u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-272612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n