*Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)
His Excellency Prof. Mam Bunheng, Cambodia’s Minister of health & Chair of the meeting
Secretary General of the ASEAN Secretariat, Dato Lim Jock Hoi
Honourable ministers
Ladies and gentlemen
Thank you very much for having me here and for this opportunity.
It has been wonderful to hear from all countries: it is very clear that among ASEAN countries, great strides are being taken to improve sustainable health financing towards UHC.
I especially wish to congratulate our host country and Minister Professor Mam Bunheng, on the significant progress Cambodia has taken to improve financial risk protection for the poorest and most vulnerable – and to steadily increase the country’s investment in health.
Since I took up this role early this year, I have spent significant time listening to the advice of leaders, scholars and people from countries across our Region.
I am convinced that we have before us a crucial window of opportunity in which to transform health systems to be fit for the future. Sustainable financing will be key to success.
Health and UHC are increasingly understood as powerful tools not only for achieving the health-related SDGs, but the entire 2030 Agenda. The UN high level meeting on UHC in New York next month will be another opportunity to highlight this.
As economies in the Asia Pacific have been growing strongly, the health sector has also been expanding, sometimes faster than the economy. Advanced economies’ experience shows that health will become an increasingly important segment of your economies. This can be a challenge – as finance and economic ministries worry about unmanaged growth. But it is also an opportunity.
Ministries of finance have started to shift their perspective, and see health as an investment rather than simply a drain on government resources. I observed this myself during the recent G20 Health and Finance Ministers meeting in Osaka.
But if we want to grasp this opportunity, we must take action.
I agree with the health ministers who have told me that we need to do better at speaking the language of finance and treasury, and find more convincing arguments for smart and sustainable investments in health.
We have to transform health systems, so they are more productive in managing NCDs and population ageing. Primary health care is key.
And we have to build health systems which deliver quality, efficiency, equity and accountability.
Every country will need to identify their own pathway towards advancing UHC, and the arguments for the necessary investments which are most compelling for your context. WHO stands ready to support these efforts, in any way that we can.
Thank you again for having me here today.