Commission on Macroeconomics and Health

The Commission on Macroeconomics and Health has provided support to countries in advocating for greater investment in health and for the creation of a single, comprehensive health sector strategy with a focus on the poor. In June 2003, a meeting was held in Fez, Morocco, to facilitate implementation of the recommendations of the Commission in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Countries of the Region came together to draft national macroeconomics and health plans and a regional macroeconomics and health strategy. Participants agreed on the critical need for strong political commitment to support intersectoral collaboration and increase internal resources for health.

Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, call for a dramatic reduction in poverty and marked improvements in the health of the poor. Half of the targets of the MDGs are directly related to health. The others target poverty, education and inequality in its many forms. The target date for achievement of the goals is 2015.

Achievement of these goals will also have a strong and positive impact on the state of the world’s health. WHO and Member States work in partnership to achieve the health-related MDGs through strengthening country ownership; focusing action on poor and at-risk groups in the community, such as mothers and children; encouraging greater investment in resources; improving health system performance through reforms in health care financing and organization; and increasing community involvement in the implementation of proven interventions through building the capacity of the community to actively participate in health development activities at the local level.

Poverty reduction and sustainable development

The Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978 continues to inspire the world community because it places people at the centre of health and development. Due to this single factor, the goal and aspirations enunciated in 1978 will always remain central to WHO’s work. WHO is committed to providing technical support to Member States to frame enabling policy and institutional settings for the health sector thereby promoting an effective health dimension to social, economic, environmental and development policy. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean pursues public health approaches based on the principle that health is linked to poverty reduction and human development.