search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
DEVELOPMENT NEWS


69th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa finds health systems at different stages of development


Africa checks progress on health


T


he OPEC Fund’s Shirin Hashemzadeh was among hundreds of participants – including health ministers from 47 African countries – who recently attended


one of the most important development- related events on the African continent to drive progress in health. The 69th session of the Regional Committee


(RC69) for Africa – held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo – gathered stakeholders to discuss and endorse regional policies, activities and financial plans to improve health outcomes for all people on the continent. The meeting addressed three main areas: universal health coverage (UHC); health security and protecting people from the impact of health emergencies; and the action that the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking to improve the way it works in Africa. “RC69 developed a framework to provide essential health services through strengthened district and local health systems,” said Hashemzadeh, referring to the network of


organizations and health facilities that provides equitable, comprehensive and integrated health services to a defined population. “This will support universal health coverage in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” RC69 found that member states have made


progress in district health system reforms, but their health systems are at different stages. At the current rates of progress, 64 percent of countries will not achieve all targets of the SDGs by 2030. However, ambitious targets have been set for the WHO to positively impact the lives of three billion people over the next five years: one billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage; one billion more people better protected from health emergencies; and one billion more people enjoying better health and wellbeing.


See http://bit.ly/WHO_OFID for more information. See also http://bit.ly/2norNjh for the RC69 opening video.


THE OPEC FUND’S MEETINGS DURING THE RC69 The OPEC Fund’s Shirin Hashemzadeh met with the ministers of health of various African countries,


as well as representatives of the OPEC Fund’s partner countries and institutions, and discused current operations as well as future cooperation opportunities to support development in Africa’s health sector. Hashemzadeh also met with various WHO teams, including the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cluster, the Communicable Diseases (CDS) Cluster, and the Family and Reproductive Health (FRH) Cluster. While on mission, Hashemzadeh also visited one part of the WHO’s ESPEN Project – an Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (see OFID Quarterly July 2018, page 60 www.opecfund.org/PUBLICATIONS) – to which the OPEC Fund extended a grant of US$1 million in 2018. ESPEN was established in 2016 to help coordinate the efforts of governments, health and development organizations, donors and private companies in stamping out neglected tropical diseases. ESPEN is credited with producing tremendous results by reaching underserved communities with mass drug administration through improved supply chain management.


PRIORITY “The attainment of UHC [universal health coverage], as it is often called, is the highest priority for WHO. No person should suffer financial hardship because of the cost of needed health care. While out-of-pocket spending has decreased in the region – this is spending from people paying for health services directly when they go to a clinic or hospital – when they are most in need of care, service coverage in Africa is low compared to other WHO regions, meaning that there is a high ‘unmet need’ in the region, of people not accessing health services because they cannot afford to pay.” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa


43


UHC IS HIGHEST


PHOTOS: WHO/Regional Office for Africa


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59