Brussels, 26 February 2015/ ACP: Ministers of Health from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries concluded their second meeting after two days of deliberations on health objectives in the context of the post-2015 development agenda.
Chaired by the Health Minister of Gabon, Hon. Jean Pierre Oyiba, the meeting also focused on preventive and control measures for viral epidemics, such as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
“The meeting was important for us to exchange views on the challenges and strategies of the health sector in the post-2015 period. The devastating impact of the recent ebola outbreaks in some parts of Africa has especially highlighted the need for strengthening our health systems and boosting finance to the sector,” said Hon. Oyiba.
The Ministers re-affirmed that the 2000 Millennium Declaration and its associated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remain a formidable global development framework, with sustainable international political support. They underlined the need for future goals in health to be adaptable to national, sub-regional and regional realities, with clearly defined interventions and indicators.
The Ministers underlined that ACP countries endorse Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with sustainable financing, as the over-arching health goal of the health sector among the proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With unprecedented challenges on the regional and global levels, including the ebola epidemic ongoing in West Africa, the meeting underlined the need for governments and development partners to increase their support for strengthened health systems in vulnerable states. Ministers also urged that the role of the Eastern and Central African States in curbing previous outbreaks be acknowledged.
Tackling Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), the “double burden” of childhood under-nutrition and obesity, as well as malnutrition, the availability of safe, effective and quality assured medicines, and specific health needs of ACP Small Island Developing States (SIDS) were also discussed.
The Ministers reiterated their commitment to Intra-ACP development cooperation in health and undertook to promote south-south cooperation in health at all levels.
For more information please contact ACP Press Officer, Ms. Josephine Latu-Sanft, +32 2 7430617 or latu@acp.int.