WHO launches 5 year plan for Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Delegates at the 71st meeting of the World Health Assembly, a decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO), agreed to an ambitious strategic plan on health for five years.

The WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work discussed at the assembly in Geneva is designed to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on SDG3 which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages by 2030.

The plan has three targets - to ensure that by 2023 :-

• One billion more people benefit from universal health coverage
• One billion more people are better protected from health emergencies 
• One billion more people enjoy better health and wellbeing. 

WHO estimates that achieving this “triple billion” target could save 29 million lives.

Delegates, including India, represented by Health Minister JP Nadda, noted that the WHO will need to make some strategic shifts to achieve these targets

• Notably to step up its public health leadership
• Focus on impact in countries and ensure that people can access authoritative and strategic information on matters that affect people’s health.

Now the debate at the assembly turned to the WHO’s work in emergencies.

• Over the coming days, the delegates will make decisions relating to the International Health Regulations (2005) which relates to timely notification of outbreaks and emergencies, the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, non-communicable diseases; cholera, tuberculosis; snakebite; physical activity; digital health; assistive technology; polio virus; and health conditions in the occupied Palestine territory.
• It will also discuss other topics, including access to essential medicines and vaccine and women’s, children’s and adolescent’s health. 

India to move resolution on digital health :-

• India will move the first global resolution on digital health at the ongoing World Health Assembly. 
• It will host the world's first conference on digital health later this year. 
• Health Minister JP Nadda told the gathering at Geneva that India will also host the second global conference on medicine and medical products in October this year.