Project News

Bellagio Workshop on "Commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC): a preparation for World Health Assembly UHC resolution in May 2023 and a High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on UHC in September 2023" has been convened in Bellagio, Italy during 8th and 10th, November 2022. This workshop is hosted by Rockefeller Foundation and organized by National Health Security Office (NHSO) and GLO+UHC project.

Approximately 20 participants from key stakeholders and actors on UHC, such as IGO, INGO, countries engaged in global health diplomacy on UHC and GLO+UHC project have joined in the Bellagio workshop.

The main objectives of the workshops were as follows;

• To review on the progress of UHC implementation since UNGA resolution in 2019 on UHC and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic
• To discuss and identify strategic actions and contents to drive UHC agenda
• To expand UHC networking and alliances for future collaboration and support the achievement of UHC by 2030

Participants provided presentations along with the five themes* and discussed the current situation of UHC implementation, the challenges the global society is facing and the necessary actions to accelerate the progress on UHC.

* Five themes are;

1. To review and discuss the challenges of improving service coverage (SDG 3.8.1), as well as policy priorities including a renewed PHC focus, in the context of the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and the war
2. To review and discuss the deterioration of SDG 3.8.2 catastrophic health spending and foregone care due to COVID- 19 pandemic
3. To review and identify contents to drive UHC and PHC at global forums - WHO Executive Board, World Health Assembly and UNGA High Level Meeting on UHC 2023
4. To present, discuss and agree on the key contents and actions in the resolutions of the EB, WHA and UNGA HLM on UHC 2023
5. To discuss and propose strategic moves by different stakeholders for the EB, WHA and UNGA HLM on UHC

GLO+UHC project was in charge of the UHC part in theme 3, i.e. "To review and identify contents to drive UHC and PHC at global forums - WHO Executive Board, World Health Assembly and UNGA High Level Meeting on UHC 2023". GLO+UHC provided a presentation about the milestone in "Health for all" and "UHC", the contents of political declaration of high-level meeting on UHC in 2019, the impacts of COVID-19 and the JICA's experience on UHC implementation.

On the third day, the strategic actions and key contents towards UNGA-High Level Meeting on UHC in 2023 were discussed and drafted. The workshop was a huge success.

We strongly wish the active discussions in the Bellagio workshop and the draft strategic actions contribute to the further achievement of UHC.

* The contents of this article has been confirmed by Rockefeller Foundation.