On Saturday 20 May 2023, The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, and Health Ministers from across the Commonwealth met in Geneva, to forge a path forward on accelerating efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), during the 35th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM).
During the meeting, Ministers discussed the role of Primary Health Care (PHC) in achieving UHC and other health-related goals, in acknowledgement that 90 per cent of essential UHC interventions can be delivered through PHC.
This included identifying approaches to better integrate mental health services within PHC settings, an area of care delivery that is often fragmented and under-resourced, as well as efforts to harness digital health technologies for improving the quality and access of services.
The opportunities and challenges relating to building national and subnational capacity and capabilities for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), particularly as a basis for both UHC and health security, was also explored.
We were delighted two of our Directors, Jacqueline Wong and Ken Bluestone represented CommonAge at this meeting.
This was a great opportunity for our Directors to meet ministers from across the Commonwealth and to put the spotlight on the challenges and issues older people face, and to ensure they are included in UHC.
Jacqueline presented to over 27 commonwealth member countries at a morning session organised by the Commonwealth Foundation and there were positive responses from many delegates.
Ken also delivered the following statement to delegates:
Plenary Session: Primary Health Care as a Key Driver to achieve UHC
CommonAge is an accredited association that seeks to strengthen the rights and improve the wellbeing of older people across the Commonwealth. CommonAge commends Commonwealth Health Ministers for recognising the need for “encouraging leadership and action on health system strengthening and addressing public health challenges to secure a safe and sustainable future for all Commonwealth citizens throughout the life cycle.”
We urge the Commonwealth to recognise explicitly the health needs and rights of older people as an integral part of promoting more effective primary health care and universal health coverage.
The Commonwealth Women’s Forum at CHOGM in 2022 clearly stated in its outcomes that “Dignity and respect for older people should not only be promoted but ensured through the provision of quality healthcare and palliative care for older people and support to carers of the aged.”
This was further reinforced by the Commonwealth Foundation’s key asks to this Ministerial Meeting which recognised that older people face discrimination in accessing healthcare and that “Commonwealth governments should—in policy and in practice—explicitly recognise the health needs and rights of people of all ages. And that older people should benefit from policies and strategies that emphasise, fund and create structures to:
- support healthy ageing; and
- (ii) prioritise appropriate care for older people including primary healthcare, community-based care, long-term care and support, and palliative care.”
Universal health coverage is not universal if it does not address the health needs and rights of people of all ages. Supporting primary health care that recognises and understands the health needs of older people benefits everyone in the community.
We believe there are tremendous opportunities for learning across the Commonwealth on how best to address the health and care needs of older persons. We request that there be a specific discussion of this among Commonwealth Health Ministers and that this be put onto the agenda of the next Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting.
Download the statement in a pdf format here.
Universal Health Coverage: Co-sign the Key Asks
The Key Asks set out a vision for inclusive and equitable healthcare—have been developed with the input of hundreds of health advocates and specialists across the Commonwealth.
Do you share a vision for equitable, inclusive healthcare?
If so, you can add your name to the public record as a co-signer of the Key Asks here.