A CSOs consultation on key updates post United Nations High Level Meeting (UN HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been held by the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights and partners.
The meeting, designed to include the voice of civil society in Ghana’s UHC discourse by enabling CSOs to reflect and comment on government’s actions, pathways and timelines towards UHC2030, saw about twenty-five CSOs present. It was a sequel to a previous one organized in July, 2019 prior to the UN HLM in September, 2019.
In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, Ms Vicky T. Okine, informed participants that the meeting will provide an opportunity for information sharing on the HLM on UHC and other relevant updates; enable Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (CSEM) members to build on the UHC 2030 Key Asks and also re-energize the partnership and network between CSOs in helping government to achieve UHC by 2030.
Presenting on the key updates from the UN HLM on UHC, the Programme Manager of Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, Nii Sarpei, recapped the outcome of the July, 2019 meeting and reminded participants of the key issues that arose from the meeting. He went further to highlight the key issues from the Political Declaration at the HLM on UHC which complements the vital issues raised at the July, 2019 meeting. Nii Sarpei mentioned that the Political Declaration needed a strong political commitment, re-affirmation that health is a human right, re-affirmation of the importance of a national ownership of the Declaration, strengthening legislative and regulatory frameworks and institutions for the achievement of UHC, among others.
Facilitating the meeting, the Country Director of Send Ghana, Mr George Osei Bimpeh led participants to develop an action plan to be used by CSOs to hold government accountable to the commitments made at the UN HLM on UHC and drive the country towards the attainment of UHC by 2030.
