From September 18-25, New York City hosted the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78), also known as High Level Week 2023.
Through our CEO, Dr. Leonid Lecca, Socios En Salud participated in the three high-level meetings on health scheduled by the UN, which become relevant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The subjects addressed were: pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; universal health coverage; and combating tuberculosis.
In this regard, at each of the high-level meetings on health, political declarations were approved on these three issues, which include the main actions and financial investments to save millions of lives, and whose commitments must be put into action by the heads of state.
“This post-pandemic UNGA must be an excellent opportunity for heads of state to take the lessons learned and adopt the commitment and concrete measures to move forward and achieve a healthier, fairer and more united world,” says Dr. Lecca.
This is the first session where three high-level meetings on specific health topics are addressed.
In relation to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, the approved political declaration seeks to strengthen collaboration, governance and investment to prevent future scenarios such as the one experienced with COVID-19. “It’s not a question of whether or not there will be a next pandemic, the question is when it will be,” explains Dr. Lecca.
In that sense, for future pandemics, we must respond equitably, with solidarity and maintaining a common goal. The four edges that make up this political declaration are: financing (it is estimated that US$ 10 billion a year is needed to prepare for future pandemics); strengthening of surveillance systems; equitable access to tools, availability of vaccines, diagnostic tests, among others; and strengthening of the health system.
About universal health coverage, the estimated investment included in the political declaration speaks of US$ 328 billion per year to improve health services by 90%, which would save 60 million lives and increase life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030. The problem is bigger than it seems: more than half of the world’s population is not fully covered by essential health services, and more than 3.5 billion people would be impoverished if they were to fall ill and require health care.
On the fight against tuberculosis (TB), the political declaration reached refers to ensuring life-saving treatment for up to 45 million lives between 2023 and 2027, as well as increasing annual global funding levels for TB to more than four times the current level. Member states also committed to mobilize US$ 5 billion a year by 2027 for TB research and innovation.
James Malar, Communities, Human Rights and Gender Program Officer of Stop TB Partnership, together with Dr. Leonid Lecca.
It is also worth noting that in a satellite event organized by Stop TB Partnership, within the framework of UNGA 78, we obtained for the fourth consecutive time funding from the Challenge Facility for Civil Societyat the regional level, which will allow us to boost community-led TB monitoring in Latin America.
Finally, the challenge regarding the political declarations signed at the high-level meetings on health is to translate them into action, which will depend on the political decision of the Member States. At Socios En Salud we will continue to play an active role in advocating and lobbying to make health a right for all.