UHC Day Reception

On 12 December, the Japanese mission in New York, the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), co-chaired by the Permanent Missions of Japan, Georgia, and Thailand, along with the WHO and United Nations Foundation co-hosted a UHC Day reception for the diplomatic community in New York to celebrate Universal Health Coverage Day and to mark the adoption of resolution A/RES/78/4 on the Political declaration of the High-Level meeting on Universal Health Coverage.

In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Ambassador Yamanaka Osamu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, referenced the Lusaka Agenda and the Future of Global Health Initiatives (FGHI) process:

“Japan has been actively participated in all the relevant discussions on the FGHI, which is a time-bound multi-stakeholder process of dialogue, research, deliberation, and action, with its purpose to identify ways to ensure GHIs are more effective, efficient, and equitable in complementing domestic financing to strengthen health system capacities and deliver health impacts. On this important day, FGHI has just released the Lusaka Agenda to conclude the process of FGHI, providing the path towards a joint long-term vision of domestically-financed health systems and UHC that leaves no one behind. Japan wholeheartedly welcomes the Agenda, and we are confident that it provides meaningful suggestions for GHIs to accelerate their efforts for better alignment, and ultimately, for ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages.”

Mr. Pelle Enarsson, Senior Advisor for the UN Foundation also welcomed the Lusaka agenda in his remarks at the event:

“Over the past year, through its work with the Future of Global Health Initiatives, the UN Foundation has been actively exploring how to best support national priorities for UHC. The final report – the Lusaka Agenda – launches today. It represents concrete steps for unlocking UHC while addressing the accelerating challenges of financing, governance, and health needs. I encourage you to read it and consider the invitation to work toward a joint long-term vision of domestically financed health systems and UHC that leaves no one behind.”