THE World Health Organization (WHO) is proud to announce that the Universal Health Coverage Partnership (UHC-P) Global Meeting, which took place from December 11 to 13, 2024, at the Centre de Congrès in Lyon, France. This landmark gathering united over 500 delegates, including government representatives, technical experts, policymakers, health advocates, donors, and partners from more than 120 countries. Together, they will address critical challenges and opportunities to advance universal health coverage (UHC) and health security worldwide.
Solomon Islands was represented at the gathering by Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ Manager Partnerships and Coordination Unit (PCU) Mr Paul Kunua and WHO Representative to Solomon Islands Dr Howard Sobel.
The objectives of the UHC-P Global Meeting were to: Assess Progress: Evaluate achievements and challenges in implementing UHC initiatives and identify key lessons to inform future work; Set Priorities: Define strategic areas to enhance WHO’s support for countries transitioning towards PHC-focused health systems; Drive Accountability: Strengthen mechanisms such as live monitoring, annual reports, and donor coordination to ensure measurable outcomes; and Promote Innovation: Showcase cutting-edge tools and approaches for addressing health inequities and system inefficiencies.
In opening the UHC-Partnership Global Meeting the Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from the WHO Headquarters remarked, “The UHC Partnership Global Meeting provides an unparalleled platform to unite global efforts towards building health systems that leave no one behind. Together, we can create a healthier, more equitable world for all.”
As WHO’s largest platform for international cooperation on UHC, the UHC Partnership supports national efforts to strengthen health systems based on primary health care (PHC). Since its inception, the Partnership has driven transformative health reforms, directly impacting billions of lives through improved governance, financing, workforce development, and equitable access to essential services.
With the theme “Health Systems for the Future: Resilient, Equitable, and Inclusive,” this year’s Global Meeting serves as a key milestone to review progress, share innovations, and establish a forward-looking agenda aligned with WHO’s 14th General Programme of Work (GPW14).
The three-day event featured;
Meanwhile, On December 12, the Global Meeting hosted a special celebration for Universal Health Coverage Day, emphasizing the global commitment to health equity and resilience. The day featured inspirational stories, panel discussions, and a showcase of progress made toward achieving UHC goals.
The UHC-P Global Meeting outcomes are to ensure a comprehensive roadmap to advance UHC aligned with GPW14 priorities for 2025-2028, strengthened global partnerships and renewed commitments to health systems transformation, recognition of WHO’s technical assistance and its impact across 125+ countries and enhanced advocacy and support for addressing pressing health issues, including planetary health and digital health integration.
