Statement on Primary Healthcare towards UHC
For over 60 years, FIGO has collaborated with the world's top health bodies to work towards the improvement of women's health globally.
FIGO is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), and attending the 144th WHO Executive Board Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, 24 - 30th January, 2019.
This week we shared our statement on the Director-General's report on Primary Health Care towards Universal Health Coverage:
FIGO (The International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecologists) is pleased to see the reaffirmed commitment highlighting access to quality health care is a fundamental right of every human being.
We are especially pleased to see your ambition to mobilise health professionals to deal effectively with the current and future challenges to health and to take joint actions to build stronger and sustainable primary health care towards achieving universal health coverage.
Making these strong global commitments has seen the reduction of maternal mortality by 48% and reduction of under-five mortality by 50% between 1990 – 2015. This progress has been important milestone, and has addressed something extremely important, that ‘Health for All’ begins in the womb, through pregnancy, childbirth, and infancy.
A key theme of the UHC movement is ‘investing more and smarter.’ For women, girls and adolescents, this means integrating sexual and reproductive health and rights from the beginning.
If women are able to access quality, cost effective and efficient primary health care, they are more able to work and earn money, and to care for their children, therefore ensuring the sustainability of health systems in the long term, and that no-one is left behind.
FIGO, with our 132 member societies, are therefore concerned that the draft resolution on ensuring Universal Health Coverage (UHC), at present does not address women’s and adolescents' needs, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and gender equality.
FIGO is available to WHO and UN, to share evidence and experience, particularly in the preparatory process for the high level meeting on universal health coverage taking place in September 2019.