26 September 2016 – A national forum was held recently to advocate for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for health, in collaboration with WHO, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and Provincial Health and Planning departments. The focus of the discussion was to align targets under health-related SDGs with national health priorities and Vision 2025. Ministers, parliamentarians, provincial governments, senior policy level experts, and representatives of United Nations agencies and international nongovernmental organizations participated in the forum and expressed their full commitment to support implementation of health-related SDGs to achieve the targets by 2030.
“Universal health coverage is key to achieving SDGs for health in Pakistan and it requires synergies and collaboration across the board, leaving no one behind in terms of health care access. WHO is fully committed to providing support to achieve all the targets of SDG 3 for health in Pakistan,” says Dr Michel Thieren, WHO Representative to Pakistan.
Addressing the forum H.E. Ms Saira Afzal Tarar, State Minister for Health, said, “Improving health and the quality of life of all Pakistanis, particularly women and children, through access to quality essential health services requires joint action/collaboration within the framework of post-18th Amendment constitutional roles and responsibilities ensuring that universal health coverage is a reality for all citizens.”
The forum concluded with a plenary session attended by representatives of United Nations agencies and provincial governments where they jointly pledged to work together and support implementation of health-related SDGs to achieve all required targets by 2030 as the key development agenda of Pakistan. The forum ended with the signing by all concerned partners of a joint declaration for SDG3.
