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Meeting on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage

Regional meeting on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage: global experiences and lessons for the Eastern Mediterranean Region

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Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean“Inequities in health represent the most important challenges facing many countries of the Region. The confrontation of these challenges demands that health systems develop a clear vision and strategies to achieve universal coverage and equitable health financing policies.” A regional meeting on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage: global experiences and lessons for the Eastern Mediterranean Region will be held by the WHO Regional Office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 5 to 7 December 2013 at Al Bustan Rotana hotel. The purpose of this Conference is to share international experiences with regional policy- and decision-makers to assist them in devising a clear vision for health system reform to achieve the goal of universal health coverage.

The specific objectives of the meeting are to:

  • share evidence and exchange experience of countries from within and outside the Region about what has worked and what has not in addressing challenges related to the collection, pooling and purchasing functions of health financing
  • document and discuss countries’ experiences in addressing challenges related to other health system components, in particular the health workforce, service provision and health technologies
  • support  countries, at their various levels of socioeconomic development, to formulate a vision and a roadmap, to address health system challenges to move towards universal health coverage
  • promote multisectoral collaboration and foster partnerships between national and international stakeholders to support countries of the Region to move towards universal health coverage and sustain prior achievements. 

It will be attended by between 100 and 150 policy- and decision-makers and health system experts from ministries of health, finance, economy, planning and development, in addition to academics and representatives of the World Bank, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, and donor agencies active in supporting health system strengthening in the Region – UK Department for International Development, United States Agency for International Development, Canadian International Development Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The agenda will be arranged around the three dimensions of universal health coverage: financial protection, provision of needed services, and expanding coverage to the poor and vulnerable.

It is expected that the meeting will result in the development of a regional roadmap to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage in the Region.

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