21 May 2013 - Geneva - Global leaders gathered this morning for a forum on health in the post-2015 development agenda. The event, now available to watch as a webcast, provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the outcomes of the Global Thematic Consultation on Health and provide further recommendations on future health goals and targets.
The wide-ranging discussion, hosted by the Center for Global Health and Diplomacy, covered issues including universal health coverage, the role of partnerships and civil society, accountability for delivering results, women and childrens’ health and human rights.
Opening the event, Gunilla Carlsson, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, said that people need to be put at the centre of the post-2015 agenda and that its overall mission should be to enable every woman, girl, man and boy to live long, healthy and happy lives.
"We still face the challenge that poor people often pay the most for the worst services, and sometimes don’t even have access to them," Minister Carlsson said. "This must be addressed much more clearly. I want to measure results, making sure that those with the biggest needs are the main beneficiaries. Healthy people build healthy societies."
Benedict Xaba, Swaziland’s Minister of Health, argued that the post-2015 agenda must include better integration of disease programmes.
"In Swaziland, 80% of the people who get sick with tuberculosis are also living with HIV," Minister Xaba said. For a long time we have been addressing tuberculosis and HIV separately, but they are two sides of the same coin. I am very motivated by the success that we have had in rolling out treatment for HIV/AIDS and we must now ensure that TB is not left behind."
Other panelists at the event included Anders Nordström, Ambassador for Global Health, Sweden, Ariel Pablos-Méndez, Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID, Helen Evans, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the GAVI Alliance, Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary, ALMA, Bjørn-Inge Larsen, Secretary General in the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, Princess Sarah Zeid, A maternal health advocate for the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, James A. Rice, Project Director, Leadership Management & Governance - Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Scott C. Ratzan, Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, AB InBev, Co-Chair, UN Innovation Working Group on Women and Children's Health, Olumwafunmilola Olayemisi, Executive Director of CHESTRAD, Lucica Ditiu, Executive Secretary of the Stop TB Partnership and representatives from UNICEF and WHO.